Flybe has confirmed the launch of new routes from Bournemouth, Aberdeen and Stansted airports starting next spring.
It will base two Q400 aircraft at Bournemouth starting in March, flying twice daily services to Glasgow and Manchester and four weekly services to Amsterdam and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
In addition, Flybe will also serve French and Spanish sun destinations to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
In March, Flybe will also begin limited operations at Stansted, without basing aircraft or crew there.
It will introduce a twice-daily service to Newcastle and a triple daily service to the Isle of Man, which will also provide additional frequency on the Isle of Man-Manchester route.
London Stansted will also a new summer service to Newquay.
Meanwhile, Flybe will re-establish an aircraft and crew base at Aberdeen Airport, also in March. It closed its operation in Aberdeen earlier this year.
Routes have not been announced, but Flybe said four Q400 aircraft will be based in Aberdeen in a bid to ‘build a strong and vibrant operation in the North East of Scotland that benefits both the local community and those seeking access to Aberdeen from other regions of the UK and Europe’.
The plans were unveiled as Flybe published its financial results for the six months to September 30.
The airline revealed a half-year pre-tax loss for the group of £15.4 million for the period compared to profit after tax of £13.6 million for the same period last year, impacted by £34.3 million of ‘one-offs and revaluations’.
Adjusted profit before tax for the UK was up £2 million to £13.7 million, despite a £6 million provision for EU 261 flight delay compensation.
Passenger revenue per seat in the UK increased 8.7% to £54.75, while load factor increased 8.6ppts to a record 77.2%.
Flybe also announced today the sale of its 60% share in loss making Flybe Finland for €1 to Finnair, its joint venture partner.
The share purchase agreement is conditional only upon competition authority approval in Finland and is aiming for a January 1 completion.
Flybe said it was on track to deliver £24 million of incremental full year cost savings, in line with previously announced plans to cut routes and jobs.
"Though our business transformation is far from complete, we are seeing the benefits of improved commercial execution with the right cost base and we now have improved operational and financial disciplines throughout our organisation," said CEO Saad Hammad.
"Whilst there are still a number of challenges ahead, Flybe enters the winter season with solid momentum in its core UK business."
