Flybe

Details

Flybe are currently the third biggest low fares airline in the UK, behind Ryanair and easyJet and Ryanair. Flybe's route network is strongest at UK regional airports - the airline only operates a very limited number of flights to and from London, and even these are usually operated by aircraft based at one of their provincial hubs. Outside the UK, the majority of Flybe's routes are to leisure destinations, although the airline does operate cheap flights to Paris from its Exeter hub, whilst additionally serving the French cities of Toulouse and Bordeaux from some of its other bases.

Airline Profile

Flybe have seen a dramatic change in fortunes since rebranding themselves, firstly from Jersey European, and then British European. Faced with rising costs and tough competition from new no-frills airlines, Flybe have developed a very firm niche in the UK aviation market, primarily through the usage of smaller aircraft than most of their rivals.

Quick Facts

Airline Code: BE
Alternative Name: Fly Be, British European, Jersey European, BE
Type: ASC

James Says

Flybe have carved a niche using smaller planes than their rivals. Whereas other budget airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet tend to favour Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 aircraft, which carry between 130 and 190 passengers, Flybe have concentrated on using much smaller planes such as the 78-seat DeHavilland Dash 8 "Q400".

Flybe have taken a particularly bold move with the Q400, an aircraft which few other airlines had previously shown any interest in. This next-generation turboprop offers exceptional performance in terms of fuel economy and low noise emissions.

As well as making the aircraft quieter for passengers inside the cabin, and providing fuel savings which enable Flybe to keep their costs low, the Q400 also offers significant environmental advantages over older, larger aircraft.

The main benefit for passengers is that Flybe are able to operate an extensive route to network from airports such as Exeter, Norwich and Southampton, which other airlines would not be interested in, as the surrounding populations would not be big enough to make operations with larger aircraft viable.

Where Flybe face competition from other no-frills airlines, they are able to offer a higher frequency of service, which has a particular appeal to business users. Whereas airlines operating a Boeing 737 might only be able to offer four flights a week on a certain route, Flybe can offer a similar number of seats, but do so on a daily basis.

This advantage has been particularly significant on UK domestic routes, which generally need flights to operate at least once each day in order to be viable.

Mark Says

In addition to expansion in their network of cheap flights to France, and consolidated growth within the UK domestic market over the last decade, Flybe were the first European airline to start charging customers for checked baggage.