FLYBE has fallen into administration, here's what happens next for holidaymakers stranded abroad and those who have trips planned.
The regional airline has ceased trading and all scheduled flights have been cancelled, the The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced.
Are there illegal baby names? Surprising monikers that are BANNED in other countries, from Sarah to Thomas
It has urged those with booked Flybe flights not to travel to airports.
Three early Flybe flights from Belfast, two from Birmingham and two from Amsterdam were all showing as "scheduled on time" on Flybe's online flight status live tracker at 5am.
But the CAA urged ticket-holders to instead check its website for the latest information.
Next week Flybe was scheduled to operate 292 flights, equating to over 22,700 seats.
It comes after Flybe returned to the skies in April following an earlier collapse.
It returned with a plan to operate up to 530 flights per week across 23 routes, serving airports such as Belfast City, Birmingham, East Midlands, Glasgow, Heathrow and Leeds Bradford.
Flybe was pushed into administration in March 2020 with the loss of 2,400 jobs as the Covid-19 pandemic destroyed large parts of the travel market. Before it went bust it flew the most UK domestic routes between airports outside London. We explain your refund rights and what happens now.
What happens now?
The CAA usually launches repatriation operations to bring stranded customers home, although this is thought to be unlikely in this case.
However, when approached by The Sun a spokesperson said: "Flybe customers who still need to travel, will need to make their own alternative travel arrangements via other airlines, rail or coach operators."
The majority of destinations served by Flybe are within the UK with alternative transport arrangements available.
All about Rachel Nickell who was murdered in front of her son Alex Hanscombe
CAA consumer director Paul Smith said: “It is always sad to see an airline enter administration and we know that Flybe’s decision to stop trading will be distressing for all of its employees and customers.
“We urge passengers planning to fly with this airline not to go to the airport as all Flybe flights are cancelled.
"For the latest advice, Flybe customers should visit the Civil Aviation Authority’s website or our Twitter feed for more information.”
Administrators have now confirmed that a total of 276 redundancies will be made.
I’m on holiday and due to fly home with Flybe - what do I do?
If you’re already abroad, you should first check if your booking is ATOL-protected.
ATOL, which is run by the government and the CAA, is a scheme that’s designed to make sure customers don’t lose money or end up stranded abroad in the event of an airline going bust.
ATOL protection is not automatic when you book a flight and usually only covers packaged holidays.
This means if your flight was booked separately from your hotel, you may not be covered.
According to Which?, “very few” passengers flying Flybe will be on Atol protected packages so the government is unlikely to step in and repatriate those abroad or provide refunds.
Credit card customers may be able to get a refund through their card provider under Section 75 of the Consumer Rights Act if the payment is more than £100.
Meanwhile, those who booked with a debit card should speak to their bank.
If you booked a DIY holiday you should speak to your accommodation and car hire separately to get a refund.
What other travel arrangements can I make?
Ryanair, EasyJet and British Airways are flogging cheap flights as “rescue” fares to Flybe customers who have been left stranded.
Ryanair’s Dara Brady said: “As the UK and Europe’s no.1 airline for low fares and reliability, Ryanair is once again saving the day with rescue fares from just £29.99 to accommodate customers affected by Flybe’s sudden cancellation of its entire UK schedule.
"These rescue fares are available to book now only on Ryanair.com.”
EasyJet has also made a discount fare available for affected customers.
Flybe has cancelled all future bookings and is advising customers not to travel to the airport unless they have an alternative flight booked.
The airline has also said it's unable to arrange a new flight for customers.
Like those who are already on holiday and due to fly back with Flybe, your rights to a refund will depend on if your flight is ATOL-protected or covered by travel insurance.
There may also be the option to claim back through either Section 75 of the Consumer Rights Act for credit card customers with bookings that cost more than £100, or the Chargeback scheme for debit card users.
You'll also likely have to rebook your flights, although you won't be able to claim compensation through your travel insurance if you do this.
Will my travel insurance cover me?
You may be able to claim the money back on your travel insurance, although it depends on the terms and conditions.
You'll usually need to have "scheduled airline failure insurance" (SAFI) as part of your policy.
However, you may not be able to seek compensation from your provider if you buy another flight before getting any money back.
Check with your travel provider first before making any new bookings.
Your insurance could cover accommodation and car hire too, make sure to check your policy.
