Payout agreed for ex airline staff

FLYBMI staff who were made redundant when the company collapsed have won a legal battle after a judge ruled that the firm “failed in its duty”.

The airline’s headquarters were based in East Midlands Airport in Castle Donington before it went into administration in February 2019, which it said at the time was due to increased fuel and carbon costs as well as uncertainty caused by Brexit.

More than 400 workers lost their jobs when the firm, known as British Midlands International Limited, cancelled all flights and filed for administration.

Employment law expert Gaynor Becket said: “The collapse of Flybmi had a devastating impact on the many employees who were left out of work with very little notice.”

Now “devastated” former employees have received a pay-out in excess of £135,000 between 63 ex workers.

An Employment Judge ruled that Flybmi had “failed” to formally consult with its staff during the “redundancy consultation period”, at a hearing in January 2020.

Judge Rachel Broughton said: “The employers default was serious. There is no evidence of any attempt to carry out any form of consultation” (before the redundancy period).

Lawyers at Simpson Millar carried out the legal action and expert Gaynor Becket added: “We are delighted to have now secured a Protective Award for those affected, which will provide much needed peace of mind following what has been an incredibly tough year for anyone looking for work within the travel industry.

“While many people assume that job losses are simply inevitable if a business enters into administration, not least in the travel industry given the current uncertainties around international travel, employers do still have a duty under current employment law legislation to carry out a proper consultation with staff at risk of redundancies.”

Former employers including operations controllers and sales staff have received payments.