Flybe expand flights to France

Low-cost airline Flybe is to begin a number of new routes next summer, with the emphasis firmly on France.

The company has announced it will be the first UK airline to fly to Avignon in the south of France and Angers in the west.

Flights will operate from Southampton International, meaning Flybe now serves 10 French destinations from the airport.

Flybe has also said they will provide flights to Faro, in Portugal, from Southamton also starting in summer 2006.

Other new routes being introduced will see flights to Bergerac Airport, which serves the popular Dordogne region, from both Exeter and Leeds Bradford.

And Norwich will also have a new service to Bordeaux, as well as link-up to Exeter.

This announcement from Flybe is the final phase of the launch of their summer routes for next year.

Simon Lilley, of Flybe, said: “Our increased summer schedule for 2006 is the result of us listening to, and responding to customer demands.

“The popularity of our routes to sunshine hotspots across France, Spain and Portugal in 2005, prompted us to look at the gaps in the market and fill these with exciting new routes to the destinations consumers are asking for.”

© Cheapflights Ltd Craig McGinty

Comments

[G Ness]

Is there any consideration being given to flights from Exeter to Poitiers or La Rochelle, the nearest airports for us folks in the Charente/Deux-Serve regions with links in the UK West Country. Currently it's Stansted or Southampton with "another" airline then a weary run down the 303!!

[Patrick Maiden]

Echoing G. Ness (3/12/05) the Western Loire region relies on Tours airport, which is serviced only by Ryanair out of Stansted. What about the remained of Britain? A low-cost flight by a competitor out of the new Doncaster airport could be a real winner.

[John & Chris Martin]

We love flying with Flybe in contrast to Ryanair. We have a property in Brittany and fly to Brest from Birmingham at least three times per year. Laura Millard, Development Manager told us about the Birmingham-Brest route a couple of years ago. We know Flybe flies from Liverpool to Jersey and wonder if there are any plans to fly to Brest from Liverpool, Blackpool or Manchester in the near future?

[daphne]

I noticed that Flybe flights from Exeter to Avignon have to be paid for up front with no refund should you need to cancel. Is this normal policy? I know they are the only airline flying to Avignon from Britain.

[Sabrina Wolfe]

Dear Daphne,

I'm afraid this is standard policy, adopted by most low-cost airlines in the UK.

Jet2.com is also scheduled to start service from Avignon to Britain in Spring this year (to Edinburgh and Leeds-Bradford) however, its policy for cancellations is the same as Flybe.

You could consider flying with Air France to Paris and then on to the UK if you wanted a more flexible ticket.

Sabrina Wolfe
Editor, Cheap Flight News