Virgin Atlantic eyes Flybe’s Scotland-heathrow slots

The prospect of Virgin Atlantic resuming Scotland-heathrow flights three years after bailing out has been raised as it confirmed a possible takeover bid for struggling Flybe.

Shares in the Exeter-based carrier, which put itself up for sale last week, soared by 70 per cent after it was revealed to be in Virgin Atlantic’s sights.

Virgin competed with British Airways on the Edinburgh and Aberdeen to Heathrow routes between 2013 and 2015, branded as Little Red.

However, the flights were grounded over mounting loss- es and Flybe launched Edinburgh-heathrow services in their place.

Virgin Atlantic is believed to be interested in acquiring these “slots” at Heathrow to feed its long-haul routes with passengers from UK airports, which it failed to profitably achieve with Little Red.

Any takeover could prove interesting for sister firm Virgin Trains, which operates between Glasgow, Edinburgh and London via the west coast main line. Since Little Red was ditched, the firm has trumpeted travelling by train as “instant plane relief ”.