Flybe issues second profit warning
Flybe has warned its profit for the first half of the year will be lower than expected following a rise in aircraft maintenance costs.
The news, which follows a profit warning earlier this year, caused shares in the airline to drop as much as 20%.
The airline said that its adjusted pre-tax profit is now expected to be £5 million to £10 million, compared with £15.9 million in the same period last year.
Chief executive Christine Ourmieres-Widener, said: "While half-year profits are lower than expected, I am confident that we are still on a clear sustainable path to profitability in line with our stated plan."
She said the fall in profits was due to higher maintenance costs following a full review of its maintenance.
"The increased maintenance costs are disappointing, but we are already addressing these in the second half and remain focused on improving our cost base and reliability performance," she added.
She said the maintenance review was aimed at making significant improvements of aircraft performance and costs, particularly the Bombardier Q400 turboprop.
Ourmieres-Widener added that the firm’s sustainable business improvement plan was delivering benefits with yield and load factors increasing.
The airline has already charged an additional £6 million for the development of a new digital platform in the first half of the year.
It will provide more information at its interim results on November 9.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt