Flybe To Cut 500 Jobs

[Stevebridson]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seems so: "Flybe no longer feels the Liverpool route is viable" http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/frank-exchange-over-flybe-cuts-1-6261999

 

From the article: He said: ‘Flybe no longer feels the Liverpool route is viable. We need to retain an early morning flight out and a late night flight back. Manchester was identified as the only profitable route of its links to the Isle of Man. I’m optimistic the Manchester link will continue in some form.’ No surprise there. As someone who has needed to travel to Liverpool for healthcare on several occasions, I know through experience that Flybe will dump the Liverpool flight in favour of the Manchester flight when there is a problem with crew or a mechanical fault on one of the planes. Many "patient transfer" people have referred to Flybe as FlyMaybe for quite some time. It's now becoming all too true. edited to add... Flybe has never given two hoots about hospital transfer patients - why would they start now?

That is a bit disingenuous and factually incorrect. In the six years I've been flying the route for Flybe I have never known a flight 'dumped' as you decribe it. If an aircraft goes tech, or there is crew sickness, initially its a case of 'fly the plan'' and any delay taken on the service that that aircraft and crew are scheduled for. If problems persist, flights may be consolidated later in the day to ensure the largest number of people can get where they want to be with the assets available. The flights crews and support staff at the airport realise the importace of the health service flights to our community. I have personally delayed flights to allow patients who are running late to get across or back home.

Oh Steve, you can't come on here with genuine facts and and first hand knowledge, you crazy dude. That isn't in the spirit of Manx Forums ;-)

Are you two calling me a liar?

 

I've been flying to Liverpool for health care between two and four (sometimes more) times a year since 2001. The ONLY airline I flew with in that time which NEVER bumped the early morning Liverpool flight in favour of Manchester or London when there was a problem was Manx Airlines.

 

BA did it several times on the day I was scheduled to fly (can't speak for other days, obviously) and I've experienced this with Flybe at least three times, possibly four. I'm not talking about being grounded due to weather conditions, I'm talking about other Flybe flights going ahead, on time, while the Liverpool flight is cancelled or delayed to the point where appointments are missed.

 

If you've never been ill and had to sit for hours waiting for the airline to make up its mind what they were going to do with your flight, missing your appointment, then you probably have little idea how upsetting and frustrating it can be. It's bad enough having to travel so far for essential health care, but knowing every time you get up at four AM to make the flight that you will be at the mercy of the airline adds a layer of anxiety that sick patients could do without.

 

I don't think it's too much to ask of an airline who enters into a contract with the government to provide the patient transfer service to actually make sure the early morning flight goes ahead, rather than bumping it in favour of Manchester when there's a problem.

 

I'm frightened about what will become of my lifeline to healthcare. I'm also worried about the wider implications of this issue. I can't understand why the government has let things come to this.

I can personally assure you that the Liverpool flight is, as you allege, NEVER bumped to allow other services to depart. To repeat, if an aircraft goes tech (becomes unservicable) or the crew are ill, it is that aircraft's line of work that suffers, be it Liverpool, Manchester or Gatwick. I can also tell you, that that what happens now is no different than it used to be in Manx Airlines, at least when I was a Captain with them anyway.

 

If what you are suggesting is that other flights should be cancelled to allow the Liverpool to depart, then that is a seperate argument.

 

I live on the Isle of Man with my family and have had to use the service at very short notice. It is a lifeline to us and something I know the Govenment will not allow to disappear.

 

If you want to send me a private message, I'd be happy to chat about it further. But thats it on here.

[dave1978]

Whats the problem - isnt there any hospitals in Manchester?

[asitis]

It is about time someone stood up and accepted that this whole scenario was foreseeable and the whole airport is a xxxxxxx shambles !

 

Talk of "international Hub" expansionism and many uneconomic routes has brought us to the situation we now have ! The only reason the airport continues to operate at all is because it is government owned and on an island, if it were a private enterprise anywhere else it would have been sunk long ago.

 

I now understand the new radar installation is to end up in court to boot !

 

WTF has our directress been doing whilst all is falling around her ears for the past few years, it is not now good enough and never was !!

[WTF]

It is about time someone stood up and accepted that this whole scenario was foreseeable and the whole airport is a xxxxxxx shambles !

 

Talk of "international Hub" expansionism and many uneconomic routes has brought us to the situation we now have ! The only reason the airport continues to operate at all is because it is government owned and on an island, if it were a private enterprise anywhere else it would have been sunk long ago.

 

I now understand the new radar installation is to end up in court to boot !

 

WTF has our directress been doing whilst all is falling around her ears for the past few years, it is not now good enough and never was !!

 

feeding herself?? it's a full time job.

[Ron Burgandy]

Whats the problem - isnt there any hospitals in Manchester?

 

I think they call them hospickles in those parts.

 

It's probably led to some confusion.

[Tarne]

Just on the above delay situation, there isn't anyone out to 'get' you Zarley, it's just unlucky that you've been delayed. When it's a broken aircraft it's not usually viable to keep a spare aircraft around and so you get delayed. It's not intentionally on FlyBe's behalf - They even have engineers here, it's just the Q400 has a relatively poor dispatch rate.

[info]

I can personally assure you that the Liverpool flight is, as you allege, NEVER bumped to allow other services to depart. To repeat, if an aircraft goes tech (becomes unservicable) or the crew are ill, it is that aircraft's line of work that suffers, be it Liverpool, Manchester or Gatwick.

 

Last Friday a Q400 went tech in MAN. The aircraft was due to fly MAN-IOM (BE811) then onward to LGW (BE273)

 

As a result the aircraft which was supposed to operate BE603 to LPL was re-assigned to operate IOM-LGW (BE273).

 

Thus LPL service was delayed so that LGW had a shorter delay.

 

Ask Hugh Dennis... he was on BE273

 

PS. On the BE273 the captain made an announcement to passengers informing them of the above situaton - he was revising the paperwork and route plans for somewhere he wasn't planning to go.

[madmanxpilot]

 

 

 

 

I can personally assure you that the Liverpool flight is, as you allege, NEVER bumped to allow other services to depart. To repeat, if an aircraft goes tech (becomes unservicable) or the crew are ill, it is that aircraft's line of work that suffers, be it Liverpool, Manchester or Gatwick.

Last Friday a Q400 went tech in MAN. The aircraft was due to fly MAN-IOM (BE811) then onward to LGW (BE273)

 

As a result the aircraft which was supposed to operate BE603 to LPL was re-assigned to operate IOM-LGW (BE273).

 

Thus LPL service was delayed so that LGW had a shorter delay.

 

Ask Hugh Dennis... he was on BE273

 

PS. On the BE273 the captain made an announcement to passengers informing them of the above situaton - he was revising the paperwork and route plans for somewhere he wasn't planning to go.

Last Friday, because of technical issues, the BE 603 was airborne after a 58 minute delay - schedule 10.50, actual airborne 11.48. The BE 273 had a 75 minute delay schedule 0950 actual airborne 11.05. No flights 'bumped' in favour of any other - schedules re arranged to get the maximum number of people where they wanted to be with minimal delays.

 

The Gatwick (273) had a longer delay than the Liverpool (603) - 18 minutes longer in fact.

[dave1978]

That sounds like spin to me.

[Tarne]

Once again, more talks with BA for the London City route too, though Scotland has gone very quiet

 

http://manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=68509

[asitis]

Re-active hopeful policy !

 

We need a commercial manager with a pro-active brief to make the best of what we have ! not some inept dreamers !!

[IOMRS97]

http://www.energyfm.net/cms/news_story_286725.html Interesting that gov.im expects airlines to take the risk of providing services to and from the Isle of Man while not wanting to go the route that Guernsey has taken. Probably a wise decision as many of the great expectations for the island's air links have withered and died after an initial fanfare of enthusiasm.

[Lost Login]

Once again, more talks with BA for the London City route too, though Scotland has gone very quiet

 

http://manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=68509

 

What's the betting that if BA return to London City the IoM govt will try and take the credit whilst absolving themselves of any blame for routes being lost.

 

Seems to me that either the Govt can either accept responsibility for both or neither.

[GD4ELI]

Re-active hopeful policy !

 

We need a commercial manager with a pro-active brief to make the best of what we have ! not some inept dreamers !!

 

Well you've got David Cretney - enjoy!

[Tarne]

Based on the CAA stats for October, http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=80&pagetype=88&sglid=11&fld=201310, Easyjet only managed a 45% load factor for October on the Liverpool route. London City only managed around 42% load factor. That's hilarious based on their low fares. EasyJet might pull off Liverpool themselves if that doesn't change next year.