Flybmi cancels all flights from Bristol Airport after making ‘unavoidable’ announcement
The departures board at Bristol Airport after flybmi cancelled all its flights after going into administration. Picture: Press Association - Credit: Press Association
Passengers have been forced to find another way home after flybmi cancelled all its flights from Bristol Airport yesterday (Saturday).
British Midland Regional Limited, which operated the East Midlands-based airline, announced it was filing for administration yesterday.
This resulted in all flights being cancelled, leaving people wondering how they were going to make their holiday or get home.
Flybmi operates 17 regional aircrafts to 25 European cities and has blamed the hike in fuel and carbon costs and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit for its downfall.
A Bristol Airport spokesman tweeted: “We regret to inform passengers that flybmi has ceased operations and is filing for administration.
Flybmi announced it was going into administration yesterday (Saturday). Picture: Press Association - Credit: Press Association
“All scheduled flybmi flights are now cancelled.”
Passengers took to Twitter to vent their frustrations.
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Rod Dennis tweeted about the ‘terrible news’ after flying with the company last week and questioned what would happen to the routes the airline served.
Another passenger tweeted: “I flew with BMI Regional yesterday after booking through Lufthansa.
“Now I have to find out how they are getting my family home next week.
“I feel for all those due to fly for half term holidays today, tomorrow and onwards.”
A flybmi spokesman said it was with a ‘heavy heart’ the company had to make the ‘unavoidable’ announcement.
They added: “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.”
The spokesman said it had become ‘impossible’ for the shareholders of flybmi to continue to the programme of funding – despite investing more than £40million in the past six years.
