[AMcWhirter]

Years ago Flybe sold some Gatwick slots to raise cash.

Now it appears it’s raised more cash by selling the Gatwick slots currently used for its Newquay service.

They are being sold to IAG’s Vueling for £4.5 million.

As BTUK has previously reported Flybe’s Newquay route will operate from Heathrow at the end of March.

http://otp.investis.com/clients/uk/flybe/rns/regulatory-story.aspx?cid=59&newsid=1223852

[capetonianm]

If, as reported, Flybe is now partly owned by Virgin, it seems odd that they would sell slots to their rivals, IAG.

Still, all’s fair in love, war, and the airline business.

[FaroFlyer]

The deal to sell slots to IAG was probably struck before the Virgin / Stobart acquisition of Flybe. Only a few weeks ago Flybe were fighting for survival and £4.5 million could have been a lifeline.

What’s the betting that Virgin take the Heathrow Newquay slots to use more profitably?

[Olneyflyer]

Yes. I ultimately see the Newquay route move to Southend. This will be where all non core London routes will operate from. Low cost of operations and allowing Virgin to maximize the LHR slots.

[transtraxman]

#914186 FaroFlyer

I question whether it is possible for Virgin Atlantic to realocate the Newquay slots with its purchase of Flybe.
I understood that those slots (as well as others) were part of the package IAG had to give up with its take over of British Midland. They were to be devoted to help introduce competition on domestic services. That led to the short lived “Little Red” operation. Some have since been taken up by Flybe for its Heathrow operations to Edinburgh and Aberdeen.The Newquay slots form part of the same package.

[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=914200]Yes. I ultimately see the Newquay route move to Southend.[/quote]

Last October Flybe/Stobart announced flights on this route for 2019.

Stobart / Flybe to offer Newquay-Southend route

As transtrax notes above the LHR-Newquay flights will use remedy slots. They can be used only for certain domestic flights. These particular slots were previously used by Little Red for LHR-Manchester.

[Author]

Posts