Loganair boss no to Flybe

Loganair has joined up many dots left following the demise of Flybe, but it can’t be "Flybe the sequel," Loganair CEO Jonathan Hinkles said last week.

Speaking on an Anna.aero webinar to a 750-strong audience including many airports, he highlighted UK, Scandinavia and Ireland are key markets Alison Chambers reports.  Ireland will have more routes, but will have to wait for the fleet upgrade planned for 2020/2023. 

Otherwise it is like “going into the garden with a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the hedge.”  

Loganair has two ATR72-600s and Ireland to Scotland are long, high volume, low fare routes. "Seven out of 10 routes we start work well, but if one doesn’t work we have to step away as we can’t incur losses,” he said, noting network-wide demand is down 85% to 90%.

A solution is "combining markets" and this is on the cards for the next 18 months. For example, serving Cardiff to Edinburgh with stops in Manchester or Leeds to enhance connectivity.

He rules out coming to Heathrow and serving Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes (they only account for 5% of the network anyway). 

Dundee again feature at London City Airport from 6 July.  The airline already operates the BA Cityflyer Isle of Man service which on 21 June (See BTN SOAPBOX) will reopen the currently closed airport.  “There are more opportunities in Southampton, including the 14 routes to France Flybe covered, but it is not for us.   We are Scotland’s airline – it’s a long way from home.”

Hinkles would like to see the Government step in now and abolish Air Passenger Duty (APD) on domestic routes and end the double tax jeopardy. 

“By year end we will be lucky to be 60% back and even by next year we don’t expect to see anything over an 80% recovery. The number of jobs lost, the wider economy and video conferencing will take out business travel requirements that won’t come back." 

He praised the Scottish Government and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for their support during the pandemic, the latter for swiftly approving the adaption of its Saab 340s to air ambulances.

Longer term, Loganair is excited at the prospect of being among the first to fly electric aircraft with the battery-powered Islander around the Orkney Islands.

Hinkles is due to appear at British-Irish Expo 5-6 October ExCeL London.

www.btnews.co.uk

www.loganair.co.uk

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Peter Phillips, Belfast

It may have escaped readers attention but the British government is subsidising Aer Lingus to fly from Belfast City to Heathrow (was BA). Belfast City to London City Airport was a Flybe route. Why not fund that with Loganair or even Eastern?

Julian James, London

Be bold Jonathan. Let the Scots beat up London and take on the Edinburgh & Glasgow routes. And Belfast City too!