Flybe and Loganair ‘pleased’ to be working together again
Airline operators Flybe and Loganair, which spectacularly fell out when both were flying in an out of Sumburgh, have announced a new agreement on connecting flights.
The agreement between the companies means over 100 new connections are bookable via Loganair’s website.
They say it will offer customers a broad range of travel connections in the UK and Europe and savings, with fliers no longer having to pay multiple Air Passenger Duty charges for separate flights.
The joint venture may come as a surprise given the recent acrimonious history between the two airlines.
They ended their long-standing franchise agreement at the beginning of 2017, with Flybe announcing it would be entering into direct competition with its outgoing partner just six months after by offering services to and from Sumburgh.
However, Flybe announced they would be pulling out of the route only half a year later, with disappointing passenger numbers, unsustainable fare levels and heavy losses for both airlines connected to the decision.
The latest decision also means customers making a single booking for a connecting journey with the airlines can check-in bags right through to their final destination with the assurance that they will be re-booked to their destination free of charge if weather conditions or other delays lead to missed connections.
Alan Tune, Flybe’s director of sales, alliances and strategic partnerships, said they were “pleased to add Loganair to our ever-increasing list of codeshare partners, offering customers even more flight connection opportunities by linking our route networks.”
Loganair managing director Jonathan Hinkles said: “I’m incredibly pleased to be launching this new partnership with Flybe, which will bring tremendous benefits for customers through assured connections, reduced travel costs and convenient through check-in.”
Scottish government transport minister Michael Matheson called the agreement “very welcome”, citing that “regional airlines provide essential links for Scottish businesses and our tourism sector”.
