FlyBe to create Manchester Airport hub

REGIONAL airline Flybe is strengthening its links with Manchester Airport with the creation of a hub to link its network.

The Exeter-based airline, which is already the largest airline by number of flights at Manchester – more than 26,000 last year, will use the new hub at Terminal 3 to offer more than 80 point-to-point connections.

Last year Flybe, which has seven aircraft based at Manchester already, carried nearly 840,000 passengers. This number is expected to increase significantly as a result of the hub investment.

Simon Lilley, Flybe’s director of marketing, said: “As Europe’s largest regional airline serving 36 UK departure points, it made sense to ‘join’ more of them up and do it over Manchester, one of our largest bases.

“Manchester Airport immediately saw the potential and have worked hard with us to ensure that it could accommodate our re-adjusted schedule that now gives our passengers the added choice of over 80 new domestic connections.

“We also expect to see an increasing number of regional passengers choose to connect to the many international flights offered at Manchester rather than travelling through Heathrow.”

Ken O’Toole, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airport Group said: “Flybe’s selection of Manchester is a testament to the class-leading facilities available and confirms our position as the leading regional airport in the UK. We look forward to the increased connectivity and passenger volumes this announcement will bring.”