It’s been speculated in the press (and reported by me here) – and finally it’s come to pass that FlyBe has sold its entire slot portfolio at Gatwick Airport
Flybe allocation of 25 slots at Gatwick is being sold to EasyJet for £20million.
Services by FlyBe will continue to and from London Gatwick until the end 29th March 2014.
Flybe blames Gatwick Airport pricing them out of the airport stating
They say:
“The decision is as a result of the pricing regime applied by the airport’s owners to the operators of smaller, regional aircraft which, in Flybe’s case, has resulted in a 102 per cent rise over the last five years.
In a well-publicised, lengthy and expensive complaint, the airline used the Airports Act 1986 to argue to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in 2010 that Gatwick was acting in an anti-competitive and discriminatory manner.
Despite support from other airlines, communities and governments around the British Isles, the fact that Flybe operates more UK domestic flights than any other airline and has won the airport’s Gold Award for punctuality in every quarter since its introduction in 2009, the CAA ruled in September 2012 that Gatwick was within its rights to raise their landing fees for smaller aircraft, thus paving the way for today’s regrettable announcement.”
Flybe operate a regional fleet, with a Bombardier Dash-8 Q400, Embraer E-175 and E-195 fleet, connecting the UK regions with other parts of Europe. The airline also operates a Joint Venture with Finnair.
For those in some regions in the UK, this could be a major blow as FlyBe will have to reduce its network that goes in and out of London. With domestic services from Gatwick to Belfast City, Guernsey, Inverness, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Newcastle and Newquay now at risk of service cuts – unless FlyBe finds another London airport to serve (providing the price is right, and the market is still there).
London has always been a tough market for regional style aircraft – with only one airport making any headway (due to the nature of the airport – London City Airport).
Hopefully Flybe can solace in the £20million it’s made in the slot sale….
