UK regional airline Flybe ceases trading, cancels all flights

LONDON: British regional airline Flybe has ceased trading for the second time in three years, cancelling all flights to and from the United Kingdom, it said on Saturday.

A statement on Flybe's website said the airline, which operated scheduled services from Belfast, Birmingham, and Heathrow across the UK and to Amsterdam and Geneva, had entered administration, a form of protection from creditors.

"Flybe has now ceased trading and all flights from and to the UK operated by Flybe have been cancelled and will not be rescheduled," it said.

It advised people due to fly not to travel to airports. Flybe's statement did not say how many staff were affected by its latest collapse.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it would provide advice and information to affected passengers. "It is always sad to see an airline enter administration and we know that Flybe's decision to stop trading will be distressing for all its employees and customers," said Paul Smith, CAA consumer director.

Hurt by Britain's COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Flybe first fell into administration in March 2020, impacting 2,400 jobs. In October 2020 it was sold to Thyme Opco Ltd, a firm controlled by Cyrus Capital, and in April 2022 it resumed flights, albeit on a smaller scale.

Flybe's demise contrasts with a post-pandemic pick-up in demand for air travel. Low-cost airlines Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline, and Britain's easyJet have reported record bookings for summer holidays, in a sign that consumers are still keen on trips despite a looming recession.