Spot the difference: Flybe… or BeRegional?

Friday 03 May 2024

Maybe Flybe was not to be... but is the once-popular regional airline about to be reincarnated?

Flybe started life in the 1970s as Jersey European Airways, which itself was the result of a merger between Intra Airways and Express Air Services.

Its headquarters moved to Exeter in the 2000s, and its island links gradually weakened, with fewer connections, and a pipeline of Jersey-based pilots and cabin crew coming to an end in 2014.

Flybe then became a victim of covid six years later in 2020 and Blue Islands ended up taking over many of its routes.

A new company bearing the airline's name and identity was relaunched in Birmingham - with no routes to the Channel Islands - in 2022, but it was ultimately unsuccessful with all flights ceasing in January 2023.

In March, the original company behind Jersey European and Flybe was finally dissolved. Documents showed that it had left debts in the hundreds of millions behind.

While some had felt this to be the very end of the once-beloved brand, a familiar sight emerged the following month.

‘BeRegional’ burst onto the scene, with its new website stating that it was working towards “becoming the UK’s favourite regional airline”.

Companies House documents showed that the business was established on 14 April by three individuals with a starting capital of around £20,000.

The website and a subsequent post on LinkedIn showed a De Havilland plane carrying flourishes in a familiar purple hue, and two large ‘be’ symbols – prompting many local and global aviation enthusiasts to point out the similarity with Flybe’s signature style.

However, BeRegional – which is working with aviation design specialists TDA Design – said any visuals were for “illustrative purposes only”.

The business also said that they were currently focused on ”assessment of the demand for a future UK regional airline” and that there were no “immediate plans to launch such an operation”.

In the meantime, BeRegional said it was “on the lookout for forward-thinking individuals with a strong passion for regional aviation and the benefits it can provide to help shape out our vision for the future.” 

“If this is you, please feel free to get in touch with us,” they added.