UK’s flybe. to open Belfast City base

flybe. (BE, Birmingham Int’l) has announced Belfast City airport as its second base ahead of the network reveal planned for late March 2022.

“Our team has been working hard for over a year and a half to bring customers a new airline that people will love, and we are particularly excited to be flying to Belfast City Airport and serving Northern Ireland,” Chief Executive Dave Pflieger said.

The airline said that it would detail its Belfast network and its previously announced Birmingham Int’l base on March 22, when it will also launch the sale of tickets. It has yet to confirm any destinations or provide a timeline for the commencement of revenue flights. It said it would fly to the UK and the EU.

flybe. will operate a fleet comprised entirely of DHC-8-Q400 turboprops. It has thus far added two units of the type on lease from Nordic Aviation Capital but has not indicated its target fleet size.

The British regional specialist is backed by private equity house Cyrus Capital which was a shareholder in the previous iteration of the brand, flybe. (2002) (BE, Exeter), which collapsed in March 2020.