BA Connect to be sold off to Flybe

Flybe and BA have confirmed that BA Connect is to be sold off to Flybe thus creating Europes largest regional airline. BA said that increasing fuel costs and the increased security restrictions had resulted in the sell off. BA will maintain a 15% ownership of the new airline and will still operate MAN-JFK and all routes out of LCY.

Flybe will now increase its fleet renewal programme and try to get rid of the BA Connect aircraft ASAP. No news on when the actual sale will take place.

More info at http://www.flybe.com/next_gen/default.htm.

Rather surprised by this one, it makes sense but there was nothing on the rumour mill, so must have been a bit of a shock (normally rumours on a.net and pprune).

Will be excellent news for Flybe as will open up a lot of business cities, Rome, Milan, Berlin etc etc.

Any thoughts?

why do they want to get rid of the a/c

[mitchja]

Just got an email from BA about this:

British Airways announced today that it has reached agreement in principle to sell the regional operation of its subsidiary airline BA Connect to Exeter based Flybe.

BA Connect also operates from London City Airport and between Manchester and New York. These services will not be impacted by the proposed changes.

It is envisaged that once the sale of BA Connect to Flybe will be completed later this year, there will be a transition period until the start of the summer schedule on March 25, 2007 while the handover of responsibilities is undertaken.

Further information, including information for those holding a booking with BA Connect, can be found at http://www.ba.com/lfn, which will be regularly updated with the latest information over the coming weeks

Regards

Originally posted by virgin crazy
why do they want to get rid of the a/c

Because the 146's are old and Flybe have just spent millions of pounds getting rid of their own 146's- they wont want a whole new load! They will be replaced by the Jungle Jets and some of the 146's will be transfered to the new BA branded airline from LCY.

Originally posted by willd

They will be replaced by the Jungle Jets

Tee hee - great description! [y]

Yes, looks like good news for Embraer too.

Regards

John

BA Connect to NY???

Wow, thanks, Willd[y]

I didn't see this coming - who are BA going to feed to now?

VS.

Originally posted by VS045
BA Connect to NY???

Wow, thanks, Willd[y]

I didn't see this coming - who are BA going to feed to now?

VS.

The BA MAN-JFK flight is operated by BA Connect but with full BA service- so it is no different to LHR-JFK as far as the pax are concerned. It has always been operated by Citiexpress/BA Connect for some reason.

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by VS045

BA Connect to NY???

Wow, thanks, Willd

I didn't see this coming - who are BA going to feed to now?

VS.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The BA MAN-JFK flight is operated by BA Connect but with full BA service- so it is no different to LHR-JFK as far as the pax are concerned. It has always been operated by Citiexpress/BA Connect for some reason.

What metal does it use on the route?

VS.

Hi,

The BA MAN-JFK flight uses a B767.

Regards

TBS

Originally posted by The_Banking_Scot
Hi,

The BA MAN-JFK flight uses a B767.

Regards

TBS

Common aircraft used on this route are G-BNWD and G-BNWI. It was the preserve of G-BNWH for many months in 2005.

Since their presence at airports north of London is about to be reduced massively would this be an appropriate time to rebrand themselves as 'Air London' [:p]

Or more importantly would this be an appropriate time for VS to capitalise on this by reiterating themselves as 'Britain's Flag Carrier'?

Originally posted by VS075
Since their presence at airports north of London is about to be reduced massively would this be an appropriate time to rebrand themselves as 'Air London' [:p]

Or more importantly would this be an appropriate time for VS to capitalise on this by reiterating themselves as 'Britain's Flag Carrier'?

Yeh exactly. Now is the time to see VS expand out at MAN (and GLA), buy up Bmi and become the real national airline of the UK.