Flybe boss on the lookout for further partnerships

0 The airline carries some 8.8 million passengers connecting destinations that include Edinburgh The boss of Flybe has said the regional airline will doubledown on profitable routes and seal more partnerships with international carriers as she looks to shore up the company’s finances.

Chief executive Christine Ourmieres-widener, above, said the firm was following up on a “number of additional… opportunities” and was on the cusp of announcing another global partner as the carrier looks to drive passenger traffic by connecting more regional customers with long-haul flights. The partnerships – or codeshares – already allow customers to connect on from Aberdeen to Singapore, or Edinburgh to Los Angeles, and include major airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Air Berlin.

It comes after the group recently secured a deal with Heathrow Airport, which has opened up new routes from Edinburgh and Aberdeen and the opportunity to secure more codeshares. Flybe carries 8.8 million passengers across 199 scheduled routes.