Hundreds stranded as British airline Flybmi collapses

Hundreds stranded as British airline Flybmi collapses

A notice informing passengers that flybmi flights have been cancelled following the collapse of the airline, at Bristol Airport in Bristol, England, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019. Hundreds of passengers have been stranded by the abrupt collapse of the British regional airline Flybmi. The airline says it's filing for administration _ a British version of bankruptcy because of higher fuel costs and uncertainty caused by Britain's upcoming departure from the European Union. (PA via AP) AP

LONDON —

Hundreds of passengers throughout Europe have been stranded by the abrupt collapse of the British regional airline Flybmi.

British Midland Regional Limited, which operates as Flybmi, said it's filing for administration — a British version of bankruptcy — because of higher fuel costs and uncertainty caused by Britain's upcoming departure from the European Union.

"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 a lack of confidence around bmi's ability to continue flying between destinations in Europe," the airline said on its website late Saturday.

***SNIP***

Flybmi said all flights will be cancelled and advised passengers to seek refunds from credit card issuers, travel agents or travel insurance companies.

Passengers were told not to travel to the airport Sunday unless they had made arrangements directly with other airlines. Flybmi said it would not be rescheduling passengers on other airlines' flights.

www.thestate.com...

OMG. Can you imagine being stranded with no money and no way to get to your planned and already paid for ticket, to your destination? It looks like Brexit is being taken seriously and will have some serious negative impact.

I confess I don't live there but I came across this article and I'm shocked at this. Is this just a hint at what's to come? The chaos will be staggering if so.

So what does "rising fuel costs" have to do with Brexit? Sounds like Brexit will be used as an excuse for any tottering company in the country. Don't blame mismanagement of the company and a faulty business model; blame Brexit!

a reply to: StoutBroux

Virgin, BA are NOT making similar claims.
Lame excuses by Flybmi - poor management, nothing to do with Brexit.

Yawn.... Blame Brexit AGAIN

I am willing to bet my entire life savings that Brexit has absolutely ZERO to do with it

Flybmi was never particularly successful and was very local to the Midlands after restructuring and a lot of routes were cancelled. I expected this actually a few years ago...was a toss up between Ryan Air Flybmi and Loganair. The problem with these various airlines is they keep on selling tickets & holidays knowing full well the state of their finances. They rely on being bailed out by someone somewhere, but keep on selling! Flybmi couldn't really compete with the cutprice airlines operating like Ryan Air and Easyjet. Nothing to do with Brexit just bad management.

Rising fuel costs?
What a joke.
Fuel is one of the smaller expenses that airlines have to pay.

More like bad management

The article goes on to state that the day before the shut down they were encouraging travel on their airlines. And then today, bamm! No travel.


Brexit will be blamed for all the ensuing chaos for sure. There will be a lot of heartache and butthurt.

This is BS, airlines buy fuel years in advance. Even if there were rising JET-A costs (which there isn't), this would be BS.

I'd be all over them to re-accommodate me on another airline without further cost or ado!

No sympathy for this poorly run airline in the least, and as a PAX I would make that abundantly clear!

Here's a link for anyone interested in the cost breakdown of a plane ticket...

uproxx.com...

a reply to: Bluntone22

Fuel in the US is cheap, here its a damn sight more expensive not to mention the various taxes we all have to pay and other "surcharges". Whilst a ticket may be advertised at say £45 to Budapest, the real cost once you get to the online checkout is nearer £100

The airline was averaging 15 people per flight. Their routes were not economic. Their business model was not competitive.

Brexit may have compounded their problems by disrupting future bookings, but all carriers are having to cope with that little nugget. Besides, business unknowns are part of business planning. The biggest "unknown" for the Flybmi was how they were going to get more people on routes no one wanted to go on.

Feel sorry for the staff and the stranded passengers.

a reply to: StoutBroux

Perhaps the directors of the company have leeched enough to retire. This happens. Money is taken from the company and put to use/bed elsewhere.

Company goes into administration. Shareholders get the minimum percentage. Directors drive off in their Mercedes. Nothing to do with Brexit or rising fuel costs, poor admin or whatever. Just greed by a few individuals who make a decision at a secret board meeting. They don't care.

Kind regards,

Bally

Looks like Braniff again and I wonder if they can at least pay their employees for the time worked before the shutdown. Braniff kept everybody working for 3 weeks and then crashed and never paid up. Their CEO had loans in the works all the way until the bank said no way and then he pulled the plug. Even the pilots had to pay their own way home. Nice going losers and I hope they put you in the Old Bailey. My best,