With the news that Flybe has gone into administration and ceased flying with immediate effect, hundreds of passengers are arriving at airports only to find flights canceled and travel plans disrupted.
According to Cirium, Flybe was scheduled to operate flights to 17 destinations, with Belfast City and London Heathrow the largest operations. It operated seven daily flights at Heathrow, connecting passengers to Amsterdam, Belfast, Newcastle, and Newquay. In total, over the course of the next week, the airline was scheduled to operate 292 flights, equaling more than 22,700 seats.
If your travel plans have been thrown into chaos due to the Flybe collapse, you’re probably wondering what to do now. Here’s what you need to know.
Stranded passengers can get cheaper flights home
A number of airlines are offering what is known as ‘rescue fares’ to get passengers home from wherever they have been stranded. So far, Simple Flying has been notified of the following airlines offering this service.
British Airways
UK flag carrier British Airways is launching rescue fares priced at £50/€60 one way, plus taxes, fees and charges. These are available on selected routes, and will cover flights traveling between former Flybe routes from London to Belfast, Newcastle and Amsterdam.
The fares include a checked-in bag of up to 23 kg and can be booked by calling the BA contact center. The airline has also encouraged any Flybe staff to seek job opportunities with the airline via its career page.
Ryanair
Ryanair has launched rescue fares at a flat rate of £29.99 to get passengers home. Those who were booked on the now-canceled Flybe services can travel on Ryanair services, including those from Belfast to East Midlands, Manchester, and London Stansted.
The fares are on sale now on Ryanair’s website and will be until Mach 26th. Ryanair does not fly into London Heathrow.
Eastern Airways
As Eastern does not fly any of the former Flybe routes, it will not be offering rescue fares. However, the airline advises that it is doing its best to help any passengers who have arrived at the airport expecting to fly this morning. It added that approaching 500 passengers have already been accommodated on its Newquay to Gatwick services so far.
easyJet
easyJet has confirmed that it will be offering a dedicated rescue fee for customers up to February 5th. This will be priced at £49 for domestic UK routes and £79 for international. This includes a 15 kg checked bag, and is available on presentation of a Flybe booking reference.
The airline also encourages Flybe staff to seek opportunities for employment with easyJet via its careers website.
Don’t go to the airport
If you’re booked to fly with Flybe in the coming hours or days, do not travel to the airport as your flight will not be operating. There will be no Flybe staff to assist you, and you will not be able to rebook at any Flybe counter at the airport.
If you have a Flybe flight on an itinerary booked through an intermediate travel agent or airline, your first action should be to contact them. These third parties will be able to advise if your travel plans will be disrupted and will assist you in getting rebooked with another airline.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has advised Flybe customers to make alternative travel arrangements with other airlines, rail or coach companies. The Authority is maintaining a page of additional support and information on its website, which is worth a read if you’re booked to fly.
Paul Smith, consumer director at the UK CAA, 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.”
You might be able to get a refund
Packaged holidays are usually covered by ATOL protection, a government-run scheme that ensures you don’t end up stranded abroad or out of pocket if an airline goes bust. If you do have ATOL protection, contact your travel firm for support.
However, flights booked independently of a holiday package will not have this protection, but there are ways you might be able to recoup some money. If you've booked with a credit or debit card, you might be able to try chargeback. This is where you ask your card provider to recoup what you paid from Flybe’s payment processor.
If the flight cost more than £100, you can try and recover your money under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This means the card issuer will be liable to return your money, so it’s best to try chargeback first - but this is always another option.
You should also check if your travel insurance covers you for the cost of the flight - some policies have Scheduled Airline Failure (SAFI) coverage built in. If not, the insurance may be able to help you recover other holiday costs such as car hire and accommodation.