It was the most high-profile bankruptcy filing of early 2020, as the effects of the covid-19 pandemic began to be felt. In March this year, lhe British regional airline Flybe went bankrupt. A real catastrophe for many British regions. The company represented 40% regional routes within the UK. Flybe served 27 airports in the UK and Ireland as well as 30 destinations in the rest of Europe. In France, the company landed in around ten cities. These include Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Lyon, Nice, Paris CDG and Rennes.
In April 2021, Cyrus Capital, through its subsidiary Thyme Opco Limited, acquired the business and assets of Flybe Ltd. At the end of last week, the new owners confirmed that the new company would soon be taking to the skies. Flybe Limited. The carrier is equipped with a new head office and first crew base in Birmingham. The former Flybe was based in Exeter, from where it operated 14 direct routes. New-look Flybe is the first British airline to be certified by the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) since Brexit.
Little information has yet been released. We do know, however, that the first flights will be offered from Birmingham airport, one of the busiest hubs in the UK before the pandemic. The airline has announced that it will begin services to numerous domestic and European destinations from the beginning of 2022..
Strong potential in Birmingham
According to Flybe CEO Dave Pflieger, the choice of Birmingham and the airport is ideal. because of its population and highly skilled workforce, its location in the centre of the UK, and the fact that Birmingham Airport is the largest airport in the UK. a first-class hub where passengers have access to over 150 destinations worldwide" .
According to Nick Barton, Managing Director of Birmingham Airport, " Flybe's announcement that Birmingham has been chosen as the airline's headquarters is fantastic news.
With the Midlands' economy recovering from the Covid crisis, Flybe's return to the skies over Birmingham is a boost for the region." .
The company should announce its first destinations before the end of the year.. What we do know is what its fleet will be. These will be De Havilland DHC-8-400s, a
turboprop aircraft which can make short journeys almost as quickly as a regional jet. But with lower CO2 emissions. The aircraft has a capacity of between 70 and 90 seats.
