Flybe is above all a regional airline and the new routes this acquisition brings reinforces our commitment to serving the whole of the UK. Flybe has become Europe’s largest regional airline with the completion earlier this month of its acquisition of the bulk of British Airways’ BA Connect subsidiary. The enlarged airline, with passenger carryings approaching 10 million, operates 152 routes, flying from 22 UK and 34 European airports. New services to key European commercial centres include Paris, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Milan. Flybe plans to invest more than US$2 billion (€1.51 billion) in new aircraft, increasing the fleet to 80-plus Bombardier Q400 and Embraer 195 aircraft by 2010. It intends to retire BA Connect’s 50-seat jets as soon as possible to drive maximum fleet efficiency. As a result, Flybe claims it will have one of the youngest and most environmentally sensitive fleets in the world. In line with its environmental policy, the carrier will then have reduced fuel consumption by over 50% per seat. “Flybe is above all a regional airline and the new routes this acquisition brings reinforces our commitment to serving the whole of the UK,” says chairman and chief executive Jim French. Flybe’s acquisition does not include BA Connect’s London City and Manchester/JFK routes. BMED name to go BMED, the British Airways’ franchise partner that flies to 17 destinations in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, will disappear as a separate entity from the end of October when it is fully absorbed by BMI, which acquired the carrier earlier this year. Some job losses are expected with the closure of BMED’s head office, although the remainder of the workforce is expected to be integrated within BMI. Etihad boosts capacity by 18% Etihad, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, is increasing the frequency on the London Heathrow route to double daily from March 26 – but has dropped Gatwick as a gateway. The extra flights are part of an overall 18% increase in network capacity planned for the summer schedule. Services to Sydney started last month, Dublin will be added as a destination in August and Milan comes on line in September. Tiger set to leap into Australia Tiger Airways has its sights set on the Australian market, with plans to operate low-cost domestic flights in competition with Virgin Blue and the Qantas Group. The Singapore-based airline, which already operates cut-price international flights to Darwin and launches a service to Perth this month, claims fares are too high in Australia. “We are ready to enter a market which has returned to a cosy duopoly and seen fares increase,” says Tony Davis, Tiger’s chief executive officer. He pointed out that Asia had embraced the concept of genuine low-fare travel and that the airline's formula had resulted in large numbers flying. “Unlike others in this market, we won’t be a lowcost airline selling high fares. We will change the face of airline travel in Australia by providing budget-conscious travellers with affordable, efficient and reliable services,” adds Davis. The airline is now seeking regulatory approval for the venture.”
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