Flybmi suspends operations amid concerns over Brexit

By February 16, 2019 January 16th, 2020 News

The East Midlands-based airline, British Midland Regional Limited, which operates as flybmi, has today announced that it has ceased operations and is filing for administration.

The regional carrier which operates 17 aircraft on routes to 25 European cities has cancelled all flights. Flights operated by flybmi served Aberdeen, Bristol, Brno, City of Derry, Dusseldorf, East Midlands, Esbjerg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Jonkoping, Karlstad, London Stansted, Lublin, Milan Bergamo, Munich, Newcastle, Norrkoping, Nuremburg, Oslo, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Rostock/ Laage, Saarbrucken and Stavanger.

A spokesperson for flybmi said:

“It is with a heavy heart that we have made this unavoidable announcement today. The airline has faced several difficulties, including recent spikes in fuel and carbon costs, the latter arising from the EU’s recent decision to exclude UK airlines from full participation in the Emissions Trading Scheme. These issues have undermined efforts to move the airline into profit. Current trading and future prospects have also been seriously affected by the uncertainty created by the Brexit process, which has led to our inability to secure valuable flying contracts in Europe and lack of confidence around bmi’s ability to continue flying between destinations in Europe. Additionally, our situation mirrors wider difficulties in the regional airline industry which have been well documented.”

“Against this background, it has become impossible for the airline’s shareholders to continue their extensive programme of funding into the business, despite investment totalling over £40 million in the last six years. We sincerely regret that this course of action has become the only option open to us, but the challenges, particulary those created by Brexit, have proven to be insurmountable.

Bmi Regional employed 376 employees based in the UK, Germany, Sweden and Belgium and the airline’s spokesperson added: “Our employees have worked extremely hard over the last few years and we would like to thank them for their dedication to the company, as well as all our loyal customers who have flown with us over the last 6 years.”

The demise of flybmi follows reports that the Romanian carrier, Blue Air, cancelled some of its flight schedule to the UK at the end of last week, with a spokesperson for John Lennon Airport saying that the current Brexit “impasse” meant the carrier had been unable to receive clarity around its ability to operate flights between the UK and countries in the EU.

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