Regional airline Flybe is to be rebranded as Virgin Connect, following its acquisition by a Virgin Atlantic-led consortium.
In July, the European Commission approved the sale of Flybe to the newly-formed Connect Airways, which comprises Stobart Group and Cyrus Capital as well as Virgin.
The group today announced that the airline would enter a “new era as an independent company under the Virgin brand”.
So far all that has been revealed is the new name, with a wider rebrand set to be completed next year.
A new website, virginconnect.co.uk, states that the brand will say “goodbye to purple and hello to red”.
It confirms that bookings for next year can be made at flybe.com, and existing bookings will not be affected.
Connect Airways CEO Mark Anderson, former managing director of Virgin Holidays and head of customer services at Virgin Atlantic, said Virgin Connect would differentiate itself in the regional market through providing an excellent customer experience.
Virgin has previously said the acquisition will allow it to offer “more choice for customers through improved connectivity between UK regional airports and Virgin Atlantic’s extensive long-haul network, particularly at London Heathrow and Manchester.”
Anderson today said: “We are hugely excited by this milestone in our airline’s 40-year history.
“We will remain true to our heritage and reason for being, which is offering essential regional connectivity to local communities. At its heart, Virgin Connect will be passionately focused on becoming Europe’s most loved and successful regional airline.
“It will offer travel that is simple and convenient with the personal touch. Our customers will naturally expect the same exceptional travel experience as they do with other Virgin-related brands.
“As part of the Virgin family, we now have a tremendously re-energised team. From here on in, we invite our customers, partners and the communities we serve to join us on every step of this exciting journey.”
Connect Airways is owned 40 per cent by Cyrus Capital, 30 per cent by Stobart Group and 30 per cent by Virgin Atlantic Limited, the holding company of Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Holidays.
Virgin Atlantic previously ran a domestic airline called Little Red, which was axed in 2015.
