Chief Minister Allan Bell is due to meet Flybe’s chief executive today (Thursday) to discuss the impact of the airline’s planned base closure.
In Tynwald, replying to a question of urgent public importance tabled by Bill Henderson (Douglas North), Mr Bell described the airline’s decision as ‘very serious and very disappointing’ – particularly for the 49 staff who could lose their jobs.
He stressed that Flybe is proposing the loss of its base staff but has made no clear statement about routes. ‘Once we are aware if any routes are lost, we will find alternative operators,’ he added.
‘At this stage, Flybe has not made any announcements regarding which Isle of Man services they could be looking to change or given any explanation on how the rationalisation will affect our services.
‘The news last Friday also stated that Flybe has not made any final decisions and remains fully committed to delivering regional connectivity to and from the Isle of Man. I expect that Flybe will continue flying some routes, but as it stands today, we have no definite information.’
Dudley Butt MLC pointed out that only in September of this year, Flybe had signed a three-year contract with the Health Service to provide essential lifeline patient transfer flights to the UK North West hospitals. ‘It is essential that they have the early-morning flight to achieve those, which means necessarily an overnight plane in the Isle of Man, he said.
Mr Bell said he had already made that point to Flybe’s chief executive Saad Hammad, adding that the Manx government pays the airline about £1.6 million a year for the hospital services, covering some 13,000 patient flights to and from Liverpool, so it is a ‘major contributor to the viability’ of that route.
But the Chief Minister refused to be drawn on whether the open skies policy was still in the best interests of the island, or whether the government should look at setting up a franchise-based airline so that it could bid for slots.
He said: ‘These other issues, while very important in the long term, do not relate to the issue that we are having to deal with, which is the urgent one of securing the immediate air links to the Isle of Man and to do our best to try and protect the jobs of the 49 employees of Flybe at Ronaldsway Airport, which are currently under threat.’
Mr Henderson urged Mr Bell at his meeting with the Flybe chief executive to ‘press home the importance and urgency of the situation’.
He asked for more clarification on the issue of investigating other carriers, if necessary.
Mr Bell replied: ‘There are a range of options which might be available for the island should the worst situation come about with Flybe. But again, I think it would be premature to discuss it at this stage.’
It has emerged that a Flybe flight to Gatwick was cancelled shortly before take-off on Friday when the first officer learned he could be losing his job.
A spokesman said: ‘Flybe can confirm that flight BE277 Isle of Man to London Gatwick was cancelled on Friday, November 15. All affected passengers were accommodated on the next available flight either to Birmingham and coached to London Gatwick, or offered overnight accommodation and an alternative flight direct to London Gatwick the following day.
‘The safety of its passengers and crew is the airline’s number one priority. Flybe regrets any inconvenience experienced as a result of this cancellation.’
Flybe confirmed last Friday that it is consulting with the trade unions and staff representatives over the planned closure of six regional bases, including the Isle of Man, from March 31 next year. The move follows its announcement at the beginning of that week that it was looking to cut 500 jobs, reduce bases and rationalise its route network as part of a policy of ‘shrinking to grow’.
Unite the union is seeking urgent reassurances over the impact on essential flights to and from the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and Scotland. Regional officer Rob Miguel said: ‘There are serious concerns over how essential transport links are going to be maintained.’