Flybe flights are cut but islands are a vital link

FLYBE reiterated its commitment to the Channel Islands yesterday as it indicated it was cutting services in the light of falling sales.

The airline yesterday reported what appeared to be much-improved figures for the six months to the end of September, with revenue up 6% at £41m. and pre-tax profits up 78% to £14.3m.

But analysts said that strong pre-tax profit growth was set against a comparative depressed by the volcanic ash shutdown of April 2010. Excluding that effect, profit before tax was 28% lower year-on-year in underlying terms.

The company spoke of a short-term focus to protect profits and its market-leading position in the UK 'by matching seat capacity to demand' while maintaining a route profile. Capacity will be cut by 6% this winter, intended to reduce the amount of unprofitable flying.