Flybe: Passenger from Gerrards Cross catches final flight

Lukas Ross from Gerrards Cross was travelling from London Heathrow to Newcastle then to Darlington on Friday night to watch his team QPR play against Hull.

The 17-year-old student said he booked tickets with Flybe because of the cheap ticket price.

News of the collapse came in the early hours of Saturday morning and left Mr Ross "feeling sorry for all of the pilots and cabin crew who had no idea any of this was coming." 

He said: "I read about the news on Saturday morning, I was starstruck. The news came out of the blue to me. The cabin crew and pilots, who were incredible did not imitate the fact they were going under at all.

"I feel really sorry for all of the pilots and cabin crew. I had no idea any of this were coming."

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) made the announcement the company had gone into administration for the second time in three years, asking passengers booked on Flybe flights not to travel to airports on Saturday morning.

Flybe was pushed into administration in March 2020 with the loss of 2,400 jobs as the Covid-19 pandemic destroyed large parts of the travel market, but returned to the skies in April.

Its plan was to operate up to 530 flights per week across 23 routes, serving airports such as Heathrow, Belfast City, Birmingham, East Midlands, Glasgow and Leeds Bradford, and it flew the most UK domestic routes between airports outside London.

Lukas added: "For travelling around the UK, I will probably have to take the train from now on, unless of course more regional airlines come to fruition.

"Frankly, I'll just do the most cost effective and stress free option."

The airline tweeted: “We are sad to announce that Flybe has been placed into administration.

“David Pike and Mike Pink of Interpath have been appointed administrators. Flybe has now ceased trading. All Flybe flights from and to the UK are cancelled and will not be rescheduled.”