FlyBe have finally confirmed that it is interested in operating from the UK’s aviation hub of London Heathrow, with annoument of services to commence in March 2017.
Services will commence from the 26th March 2017 with services to Edinburgh (up to four times a day) and Aberdeen (up to three times a day), using Dash 8-Q400 aircraft.
Here’s the planned timetables
Aberdeen to Heathrow
BE2121 DEPART ABZ 06:45 ARRIVE LHR 09:00 Daily BE2125 DEPART ABZ 15:00 ARRIVE LHR 17:15 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday BE2127 DEPART ABZ 17:20 ARRIVE LHR 19:35 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
Heathrow to Aberdeen
BE2122 LHR0945 – 1145ABZ DH4 Daily BE2126 LHR1805 – 2005ABZ DH4 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday BE2128 LHR2020 – 2220ABZ DH4 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday Booked Equipment: Dash8 Q400 Commences 26th March 2017
Edinburgh to Heathrow
BE2101 DEPART EDI 06:00 ARRIVE LHR 08:00 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday BE2103 DEPART EDI 08:35 ARRIVE LHR 10:35 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday BE2107 DEPART EDI 15:30 ARRIVE LHR 17:30 Daily BE2109 DEPART EDI 18:00 ARRIVE LHR 20:00 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
Heathrow to Edinburgh
BE2102 DEPART LHR 08:45 ARRIVE EDI 10:45 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday BE2104 DEPART LHR 11:20 ARRIVE EDI 13:00 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday BE2108 DEPART LHR 18:20 ARRIVE EDI 20:00 Daily BE2110 DEPART LHR 20:45 ARRIVE EDI 22:25 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday Booked Equipment: Dash8 Q400 Commences 26th March 2017 Data: Flybe
The slots that FlyBe will be using will be the resolution slots that have gone unused since the demise of Virgin Atlantic’s Little Red service (which stem from when IAG took over British Midland).
Flybe’s Heathrow service will compliment its existing London City service.
So… why now?
FlyBe is aiming to provide connecting traffic for those carriers who don’t want British Airways to complete the final slog between Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
But for Flybe, there is another agenda – after three years, (or six IATA Seasons), those resolution slots can be converted into whatever the airline wants – making these slots very valuable.
However, domestic operation in the UK from Heathrow is not without its pitfalls. It was the partial death-knell to British Midland, and Virgin Atlantic couldn’t make Little Red operation – which failed after 5 IATA seasons – one short of the magic sixth to release the slots for other use.
In these terms, Flybe is dipping its toes in the Heathrow water with its operation (and using Bombardier Dash8 Q400 is indicative of this when they have larger jet equipment – namely Embraer E-195s).
The big question is can Flybe make this stick in the long-term… or will they retreat?
That’s a question that’s going to be answered over time.
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