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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Flights hit by BA sale to Flybe | Flights hit by BA sale to Flybe |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| British Airways has sold the regional operations of its subsidiary airline BA Connect to Flybe, a move that will lead to about 900 flight cancellations. | |
| The airline said it would offer passengers alternative flights with either BA or Flybe, or a full refund. | The airline said it would offer passengers alternative flights with either BA or Flybe, or a full refund. |
| Airports affected will include London City, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Bristol. | |
| The deal will create "Europe's largest regional airline", carrying 10 million passengers on 152 routes, Flybe said. | The deal will create "Europe's largest regional airline", carrying 10 million passengers on 152 routes, Flybe said. |
| Critical mass | Critical mass |
| Flybe chairman Jim French said the deal gives the firm "critical mass" across domestic and European city markets, and creates a business with more than £500m in revenues. | Flybe chairman Jim French said the deal gives the firm "critical mass" across domestic and European city markets, and creates a business with more than £500m in revenues. |
| Flybe said its immediate focus was to "ensure the transition is managed effectively". Once that has happened it said it would be looking to list the firm on the stock exchange. | Flybe said its immediate focus was to "ensure the transition is managed effectively". Once that has happened it said it would be looking to list the firm on the stock exchange. |
| These routes need to be cancelled to protect the ongoing viability of the business British Airways Scottish flights are cancelled | These routes need to be cancelled to protect the ongoing viability of the business British Airways Scottish flights are cancelled |
| BA said it would take an extra £20m charge on the sale due to losses at BA Connect. BA had taken a £106m charge when the deal was first announced in November last year. | BA said it would take an extra £20m charge on the sale due to losses at BA Connect. BA had taken a £106m charge when the deal was first announced in November last year. |
| BA will also will take a 15% stake in Flybe. | BA will also will take a 15% stake in Flybe. |
| The airline said that the flights affected will be those that had been scheduled to run between 4 March and 24 March. | The airline said that the flights affected will be those that had been scheduled to run between 4 March and 24 March. |
| Flights from Glasgow to Birmingham, and from Edinburgh to Birmingham and Southampton, have been cancelled. | Flights from Glasgow to Birmingham, and from Edinburgh to Birmingham and Southampton, have been cancelled. |
| Other routes that will cease to run include Birmingham to Barcelona, Madrid and Berlin as well as Manchester to Madrid and Aberdeen. | |
| Bristol to Munich and Zurich will also to be cancelled. | |
| Business protection | |
| "All passengers will be offered alternative flights with Flybe or BA via Heathrow to minimise inconvenience," BA said. | "All passengers will be offered alternative flights with Flybe or BA via Heathrow to minimise inconvenience," BA said. |
| "Alternatively, they will be offered the choice of a full refund." | "Alternatively, they will be offered the choice of a full refund." |
| However it added that "all the routes being cancelled are substantial loss makers for the current BA Connect business". | However it added that "all the routes being cancelled are substantial loss makers for the current BA Connect business". |
| "These routes need to be cancelled to protect the ongoing viability of the business," it explained. | "These routes need to be cancelled to protect the ongoing viability of the business," it explained. |