[NTarrant]

To be honest Swissdiver, they are as some have already said either really good or really bad, there is no consistancy. I just hate the adding of charges for this and that which makes it really low cost model, when actually they are not low cost at all.

I think if you go in with low expectations then you won’t be disappointed. You might have a very nice flight, if there is no other option then you will have to take pot luck!

[conair346]

Its been mentioned a few times – people like to think they are, and the marketing spiel also emanates it – the vibe of being a low cost carrier. Flybe have stated previously they are actually a ‘value focused carrier’. They pioneered the luggage charges that are now rife in the industry. Flybe’s core market is business travellers on regional meetings – hence the volume of short flights on marginal routes that other airlines would find hard to operate with a normal short haul aircraft like the A320’s and 737’s flinging themselves across Europe.
The last I was aware flybe only needed 40% occupancy at seat only rates to break even – which works out at 32 passengers.

They came very close to extinction before they rebranded into BE and then again flyBE. The airline has had turbulent times – but they do not excuse their lack of consistency, or pure ‘nickel & diming’ of passengers.

Even their part parent hasn’t rubbed much off on them and keeps them at a distance. I remember when BE had a couple of flights from MAN with two BA flight numbers on them as well as the BE one. Maybe I’m thinking too radically, but I believe it would nice to see BE change up again and become more like BACON. I’d imagine international travellers might be more receptive to the BA brand and complimentary onboard service, never mind locals. Might even make R4A redundant and take on ‘Avios’.

They are adequate for short trips, but I couldn’t image using them on the likes of SOU-FAO for a two week holiday.

To finish, I still find it incredulous that anyone at Belfast City would chase Brushes around the terminal. Being such a small terminal, the staff member would have been seen and ridiculed by their co-workers and possibly disciplined by their line manager. Maybe you dreamt it, or fantasised it? Its not a normal business practise and the staff would find it hard to leave their positions – the ticket desk has a long corridor behind it to get out to the main terminal floor and the checkin desks have a bridge behind them leading to exits, so unless it was the closeout desk, I assume the Servisair or Flybe staff member glared at you for demanding some ridiculous deal on your excess. Restrictions are clearly stated at booking, checkin and confirmation of booking emails. Your fault for not obeying the rules. Stop trying to make the ground crew look poor, I’d pitty them for having to deal with you if you speak like you type.

[Capetonian]

I have to say that if the way they spoke to Brushes was anything like the way they spoke to me when I complained, then my sympathy is with him. I think Flybe have a long long way to go to come close to the standards of Easyjet. It might be unfair to compare them to Ryanair but the comparison is inevitable. I have a flight with them next week and am dreading it but it’s one of their many monopoly routes.

[Swissdiver]

@NT: fully agree… Earlier this year I dropped an EI online booking in the middle for that very same reason (and flew LX with a stop instead…). But here, no real choice…

[Bullfrog]

Inevitably we have to speak of personal experiences.

Living in London & getting to SW France, FlyBe’s Southampton service is a ‘dream come true’. I can be on an 8am train from Waterloo & sitting in the departure lounge by 9.30am for a 10.20am flight to Bergerac. In the Dordogne for lunch. So the air ticket may cost £ 220 return and the train another £ 30. I’d rather pay the extra £ 170 over Ryanair’s possible nightmare service ex Stansted.

It is all about choice. This topic is not for me to outline the numerous reasons why I don’t support Ryanair.

When I accidentally purchased the £ 8.99 FlyBe insurance, it was refunded no problem & was easy to sort.

FlyBe is a ‘value focused carrier’ .. smaller aircraft, a more personal service & a very acceptable form of travel in today’s nightmare world.

[Bunnahabhain]

I would echo Bullfrog’s description of Flybe as acceptable, minus the very. I now view them as similar to bmi given the direction towards smaller aircraft and paid for F&B. At least Flybe has allocated seating, with an element of selection if checking in at airport machines, compared with easyJet’s free seating and the gate scrum it causes. I don’t actually mind free seating once on board, it’s the rigmarole you’re subjected to in the departure lounge.

I don’t care for the Q400 but that’s the aircraft not the airline; the Embraer series jets of Flybe are fine, and not so cramped as the 135/145 series of bmi.

Crew on my local routes to LGW, BHX and MAN are based here so are known to the regular flyers; mostly ex-BA’s previous mainline & franchise services which Flybe took over. The uniform looks more like Asda though!

[Swissdiver]

Thanks all. Level 1 passed! 🙂

Level 2: How do you book a journey that you know is available (as offered on-line by a TA at a unreasonable price) but that doesn’t appear on FlyBe website (I want to fly GVA SOU IOM and not GVA SOU MAN IOM!)?

[NTarrant]

I think you will find Swissdiver that the flights GVA-SOU don’t start until mid-December. From the 17th I think there will be the direct flight. The SOU-IOM departs at 1420 (or 1450) which may not give you a connection.

Not sure what your TA is offering you but as things stand today you have to get to SOU before the time above. If it is not on Flybe’s website then it doesn’t exist.

[Swissdiver]

@NT: March 2012… And multiple sources of information.

[Tete_de_cuvee]

Swiss – off thread sorry
Do you know if Switzerland is signed up to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) which applies to European aviation from 01 Jan 2012?

If so will they apply the same allocation 82% of current allocation, 15% auctioned and 3% for reserve and new entrants?
Thanks.

Add Edit – Thanks for the link. Much appreciated Swiss.

[Swissdiver]

@TdC: http://www.europa.admin.ch/themen/00499/00503/00795/index.html?lang=en

[KeaneJohn]

You prob wont be able to book that on the flybe website. Try the call centre, I think its about £5 more expensive not sure if that is per flight otherwise it will be point to point bookings with no protection in the event of a missed connection. Typical Flybe.

[Swissdiver]

Well, I tried the “IT issues related to booking” path. Let’s see… Point to point: no point! 🙂

[Swissdiver]

IT reply:
Thank you for contacting the Technical Support Desk at Flybe.

Not all flights are offered online as connecting flights. If you are not getting the required time within one connection then you will have to book the flights separately just remembering that an international to domestic flight needs at least 50 mins connection time at Southampton.

Interesting for a so called low-cost airline: some connexion must apparently be done via a travel agent! Weird…

[Travellator]

Excuse my lack of understanding -I fly regularly BHD/LGW with FlyBe codeshared with bA – I cannot book this flight on BA and I am NOT able to enjoy BA privileges such as lounge access , miles etc. Can someone explain please ?

[Author]

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