FARNBOROUGH - Flybe strikes fleet upgrade deal with Bombardier

15th Jul 2014 08:59

British regional airline Flybe and Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier have done a fleet upgrade deal of undisclosed value.Flybe and Bombardier said they had signed a strategic services agreement under which Bombardier will carry out a major programme of improvements over the coming months.They said it would make Flybe's current 45-strong fleet of Bombardier Q400 aircraft "one of the most operationally efficient regional fleets in the world".Flybe has been cutting jobs and bases to save cash and help it recover from the economic downturn, which hit its UK regional business.Flybe Chief Executive Saad Hammad said: "The immediate actions we announced in November 2013 have resulted in us reducing our 2014 summer seat capacity by 16%. "In the UK today, Flybe is flying the right aircraft on the right routes and, critically, in the right numbers."Shares in Flybe rose 1.25p or 1.13% to 112p at 08:51 in London.PW