Flybe collapse affects Cork Airport passengers

CORK Airport is one of the many victims of UK airline Flybe having suddenly ceased trading last night.

With all its flight grounded, Flybe has advised its passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have arranged an alternative flight with another airline.

The troubled airline had been looking for a £100m loan from the British government to keep it going and a halving of passenger charges at UK airports, but this would not be possible until after the Brexit transition period at the end of this year.

Some if its major shareholders, including Virgin Atlantic, grew impatient and the final straw was the drop in bookings due to the spread of the coronavirus internationally and it has gone into administration.

As a result of the Flybe collapse, its Cork flights to and from Cardiff have ceased.

European Consumer Centre Ireland advice to Irish consumers on refund or compensation options in relation to cancelled Flybe flights

United Kingdom’s largest regional airline, Flybe, went into administration and ceased all flights today, 5 March 2020.

Customers due to fly with Flybe as of today are advised not to travel to the airport and check for up-to-date advice from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on caa.co.uk here. The CAA advises Flybe customers to make their own alternative travel arrangements via other airlines, rail or coach operators. Irish air travellers can find out more from the Irish Commission for Aviation Regulation on aviationreg.ie here.

The European Consumer Centre (ECC) Ireland wishes to advise Irish consumers who have paid for a cancelled Flybe flight of the following in terms of possible refund or compensation for their tickets:

• Travellers who booked directly with Flybe using a credit/debit card, “chargeback” may be an option. Read more about chargebacks on the website of the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission here, and please contact your card provider for further details.
• Travellers who booked their cancelled flight through a partner airline with which Flybe has a “code-share” agreement (a marketing arrangement in which an airline places its designator code on a flight operated by another airline), a booking engine or travel agent are advised to contact the relevant entity.  
• Travellers with travel insurance are advised to contact their provider to see whether the policy includes “Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance” (SAFI) cover applicable to a cancelled Flybe flight.
• If your cancelled Flybe flight ticket was part of a travel package or package holiday, please contact the travel agent or tour operator directly.

Find out more about your consumer rights in case of flight cancellations from ECC Ireland here.