Flybe still experiencing a bumpy ride

AIRLINE Flybe has seen no let-up in the “challenging” conditions which have affected its share price in recent months.

By The Newsroom

Published 11th Apr 2012, 07:00 BST

Europe’s biggest regional airline is forecast to make a loss in the year to March 31, although in a trading update yesterday it said the final quarter had been in line with its hopes.

The stock is still well below levels seen before a profits warning in early January, which was caused by weaker demand for flights in the UK. Flybe, which flies from airports including Doncaster, East Midlands, Bristol, Cardiff, and Edinburgh, said market conditions remained challenging but it was helped by its “robust and flexible” business model.

Leading airline analyst Andrew Ritchie, of Investec Securities, recently said he expects Flybe to make a loss of £8.5m in the year to March 31, compared to pre-Christmas predictions of a profit of £6.4m.