Flybe (1979–2020)
Flybe (pronounced /ˈflaɪˌbiː/), styled as flybe, was a British airline based in Exeter, England. Until its sale to Connect Airways in 2019, it was the largest independent regional airline in Europe. Flybe once provided more than half of UK domestic flights outside London.
| |||||||
| Founded | 1 November 1979 (as Jersey European Airways) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 5 March 2020 | ||||||
| AOC # | 601 | ||||||
| Hubs |
| ||||||
| Focus cities |
| ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | none (formerly Avios) | ||||||
| Fleet size | 63 | ||||||
| Destinations | 56 | ||||||
| Parent company | Connect Airways | ||||||
| Employees | 1,931 | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
The airline was launched in 1979 as Jersey European Airways following the merger of Intra Airways and Express Air Services. In 1983, the airline was sold to Walker Steel Group, which also owned Spacegrand Aviation, and the two airlines were merged under the Jersey European name during 1985. The airline experienced significant growth during the 1990s; it was in this period that Jersey European Airways served as the launch customer for the Embraer E-195 regional airliner. The firm was renamed British European in 2000 and Flybe in 2002. On 3 November 2006, it was announced that Flybe was in the process of purchasing BA Connect, which resulted in the airline becoming the largest regional airline in Europe. On 10 December 2010, the company was floated in an IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
In February 2019, the airline was sold to the Connect Airways consortium, backed by Virgin Atlantic and Stobart Aviation. Connect Airways intended Flybe and Stobart Air to subsequently rebrand as Virgin Connect, though they would have retained their own Air Operator Certificates.
On 5 March 2020, Flybe filed for administration and ceased all operations. The airline, which had been struggling for several months, claimed that its difficulties were compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bookings.
In October 2020, Thyme Opco, a company linked to former shareholder Cyrus Capital, reached an agreement with the administrators to purchase the Flybe brand and relaunch the airline in 2021, subject to regulatory approvals. In April 2021, the new company renamed itself Flybe Limited, obtained an operating licence, route licences and airport slots; the first flight took place on 13 April 2022. The relaunched airline ceased trading on 28 January 2023.