The airline once beloved by overseas property owners is set to fly again from “early 2022”. Flybe, which collapsed at the start of pandemic after several troubled years, has said it will restart operations from a new base in Birmingham next year.
Flybe was bought out of administration a year ago, and this week announced its new hub and plans for next year.
While CEO Dave Pflieger has not announced the detail on new routes yet, home owners abroad will be hoping it restarts operations to the regions of France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Flybe will operate De Havilland DHC-8-400, a fast turboprop powered aircraft which it says “can complete short journeys almost as quickly as a regional jet, but with lower CO2 emissions… a key area of focus from day one for Flybe will be environmental sustainability and ensuring we do everything possible to reduce our carbon footprint.”
On where and when they will fly, Flybe says: “Please stay tuned. We plan to provide more information in the coming weeks and months about ticket prices, new routes and destinations, and other important news that will help customers visit loved ones, get away for a weekend, and get out on business trips.”
Flybe takes off from Birmingham Airport (Benthemouse / Shutterstock.com)
Previous routes
When Flybe last flew, they included routes such as Cardiff to Geneva Faro, Milan, Rome and Verona. Routes to Alicante included from Doncaster, Exeter, Norwich and Southampton. Flights to Chambery from Exeter, Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff offered easy access to south-east France and the Alps.
Previously, for easy access to north-western France, there were routes to Rennes, Nantes and La Rochelle from Southampton, avoiding the long sea crossing to Brittany and points south. There were also routes to Bergerac, Bordeaux, Lyons and Toulouse.
Birmingham base
The new base in Birmingham appears to be a positive move, enabling greener travel options for more people. New routes from Birmingham avoiding the use of jet aircraft will allow those from the north and midlands of England and Wales to make greener travel options to the continent. In Property Guides survey, around 30% of readers said they were trying to choose greener travel options.
Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands, pointed out that this meant “better domestic and international connectivity for our region.”
Flybe added that It was an ideal choice: “Birmingham Airport is a global travel hub where local and connecting customers have access to over 150 worldwide destinations.”