Flybe (2nd) into administration

For the second time, the Flybe name is associated with bankruptcy.

On 28 January 2023, the High Court appointed two joint administrators of Flybe Limited (“Flybe”).

The original Flybe ended in 2020

The first iteration of Flybe, which was founded in 1979 as Jersey European Airways, was one of the largest regional airlines in Europe, operating a fleet of over 70 aircraft and serving destinations across the UK, Europe, and beyond. The company had a strong presence in the UK regional market, with a particular focus on connecting smaller airports and remote communities to major cities.

However, in the years leading up to its collapse, Flybe faced several financial challenges. The company had accumulated significant debt and was also facing increased competition in the regional airline market. In addition, the rise of low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet has made it difficult for Flybe to compete on price.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, Flybe was already in a precarious financial position. The sudden and severe drop in demand for air travel due to travel restrictions and quarantine measures dealt a severe blow to the company’s revenues. Despite efforts to secure funding and restructure the business, the company was unable to continue operations and went into administration in March 2020.

The fall of the first Flybe has brought a significant impact on the UK’s regional connectivity. Flybe operated flights from many small airports that were not served by other airlines, and its collapse has left many of these communities with limited or no air connections. Also, Flybe was one of the largest employers in the southwest of England, where the company had its head office and main base of operations and its collapse resulted in significant job losses.

The second Flybe wanted to be the phoenix

In June 2020, a new company, Flybe Limited, was formed to purchase the original Flybe assets and relaunch the airline. The new Flybe was able to secure funding from a consortium of investors, and in November 2020, the company announced that flights would resume in early 2021.

The new Flybe operated under a different business model than the original, with a focus on providing essential air connections for remote and regional communities in the UK and Europe. The company also aimed to reduce its environmental impact through the use of more fuel-efficient aircraft and sustainable practices.

This is (again) the end

Despite the efforts of the new Flybe Limited, the relaunched airline has not been able to achieve the level of success that was initially hoped for.

A number of factors have contributed to the new Flybe’s struggles. The ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely reduced demand for air travel, making it difficult for any airline to turn a profit. The new Flybe also faced intense competition from other airlines, both in the regional market and from larger carriers.

In the last weeks of operation, the company only operated 8 aircraft which is far from the size that the original reached in its history.

In conclusion, while the intentions of the new Flybe were admirable, they were not sufficient to overcome the significant challenges facing the aviation industry, and the company was not able to achieve the level of success that was initially hoped for.