Blue Islands has said it is ‘business as usual’ despite rumours its franchise partner, Flybe, is on the brink of collapse.
Flybe, which has yet to comment on the mounting speculation, operates year-round routes out of Guernsey and Jersey airports, in addition to being Blue Islands’ franchise partner.
According to Sky News, the regional airline is reportedly locked in survival talks, trying to secure additional financing amid mounting losses. The crisis comes less than a year after Flybe was bought by a Virgin Atlantic-led consortium for £2.2 million.
‘It is business as usual for us and for Flybe. As an independent, locally owned airline, Blue Islands remains fully committed to serving the Channel Islands and customers can continue to book all Blue Islands operated services at flybe.com,’ said a Blue Islands spokesperson.
As of 14th January, the UK government was said to be involved in trying to keep Flybe solvent in a bid to prevent the second major airline collapse in four months, following the failure of the Thomas Cook Group last September. It is reportedly considering a cut to air passenger duty on domestic flights in a bid to save the airline from collapse and secure more than more than 2,400 jobs at risk.
Flybe is yet to officially comment on the report from Sky News, but tweeted that customers ‘can continue to travel as planned. We don’t comment on rumour or speculation.’
