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British airline Flybe is in talks to buy British Midland’s subsidiary operations bmi regional and bmi baby, the Mail on Sunday reported.

Lufthansa took over British Midland last month, but the German airline has indicated it is more interested in bmi’s long-haul routes and valuable Heathrow slots than in the two subsidiaries.

Bmi regional is UK-focused, while bmi baby is a low-cost airline that flies to a number of European destinations.

source: Reuters

As part of the new plans flights will be available from Birmingham to Dubrovnik on Sundays and Split on Saturdays from May 3rd, from Exeter to Alicante, Dubrovnik, Faro, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca, and from Southampton to Alicante, Dubrovnik, Faro, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Split.

London Gatwick will also serve Aberdeen, Belfast, Guernsey, Inverness, Isle of Man, Jersey and Newcastle.

source: travelbite.co.uk

Budget airline flybe, formerly known as British European, today signed an order for £520 million worth of new planes, some of which will be based at Edinburgh.

The contract, with Bombardier Aerospace of Canada, involves 17 firm orders for Q400 turboprops and an option to take a further 20, making it the largest aircraft deal signed so far this year. The first of the planes will arrive in June this year, with the other 16 over the next three years.

source: Evening News

Flybe has been named as the fastest growing low cost airline flying to and from Germany.

Budget airline Flybe now offers 128 flights a week to Germany, compared to just 26 flights in 2006/7, an increase of 392%. The statistics are published in the latest ‘Low Cost Monitor’ survey from the German Centre for Aero- and Spacetravel, which tracks the development of low fares airlines operating to and from Germany.

source: holidayextras.co.uk

Flybe has given the term low-fare airline an entirely new meaning: it is paying 172 people to fly back and forth across England and the Irish Sea to help it meet a target for passenger numbers at Norwich airport.Flybe was narrowly falling short of a target to deliver at least 15,000 passengers on the Dublin-Norwich route in the 12 months ending on Monday, which meant it would have to forego a 280,000 pound ($550,000) rebate from the airport.

After the airport rejected a request for a partial rebate for almost hitting the target, Flybe hired 172 temps for 30-40 pounds each, plus a free bar and in-flight entertainment, though it admitted “it probably sounds like an early April fool.”

source: Reuters

Flybe has signed a franchise agreement with Scottish regional airline Loganair that will see it introducing its low cost flights to the Highlands and Islands.

Loganair now operates as a franchise of British Airways, but will fly in Flybe colours from 26 October this year. The Scottish airline currently carries around 500,000 passengers a year and operates on 26 routes from 16 airports in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Dublin, Derry and the Isle of Man. Routes include Glasgow airport to Shetland, Orkney, Stornoway, Derry and Dublin, and Edinburgh airport to Shetland, Orkney, Wick, Inverness, Stornoway, and the Isle of Man.

source: holidayextras.co.uk

The South West based airline Flybe has announced expansion plans as part of a bid to strengthen its position as a regional hub.

The airline company has said seven new routes are scheduled for its two airports in Cornwall and Devon.

New services to Glasgow, Birmingham and Southampton will be on offer from Newquay.

Passengers from Exeter will be able to travel to Aberdeen, Dubrovnik, Inverness and Brussels.

All the flights are expected to start in the spring next year.

source: BBC

Budget airline Flybe would consider a flotation late next year or early in 2009, its chief executive said on Monday.

Jim French told reporters the carrier would first want to complete the integration of BA Connect, which it bought from British Airways a year ago, as well as its substitution programme of replacing the BA Connect fleet with new planes.

source: Reuters

Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, is today announcing the introduction of two additional services during peak commuter travel times on its popular Jersey to London Gatwick route that will boost its daily return service on this key route to six a day.

Flybe is also adding an extra Saturday service. Ticket prices have also been slashed to £19.99 one way on selected flights and are now available for booking on Flybe.com for flights commencing 28th October 2007.

source: Easier

Flybe’s new rewards system gives its passengers two points per return flight, or four points for its “economy plus” upgraded service per return flight, with half as many points offered for single flights.

For 16 points Flybe will give customers a free return flight, and for 20 points the airline offers a year’s free access to its VIP airport lounge.

source: travelbite.co.uk