BIRMINGHAM Airport is set to be the new home for airline Flybe.
It is set to begin domestic services and flights to the EU from its new West Midlands base in spring next year and plans to create 600 jobs.
Flybe’s chief executive Dave Pflieger said Birmingham was “an ideal choice” for the airline.
He said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Birmingham Airport, the City of Birmingham, and the Mayor of West Midlands to make Birmingham Airport the location of our new headquarters and first crew base.
“It was an ideal choice for us due to its great people and highly skilled workforce, its central UK location, and the fact that Birmingham Airport is a global travel hub where local and connecting customers have access to over 150 worldwide destinations.”
The company was bought out by Thyme Opco after collapsing in March 2020 as a result of the pandemic.
Nick Barton, chief executive at Birmingham Airport, added: “Dave’s vast experience in managing start-up airlines and turnaround situations, coupled with the recovery of the Midlands’ economy post-Covid, means that Flybe’s return to the skies from Birmingham is a shot in the arm for our airport as well as West Midlands businesses and communities.
“We look forward to working with Dave and his team in preparation for next spring and to launch such a well-known brand here in Birmingham.”
