French airports in limbo after £100m Flybe rescue deal

Since the announcement of the UK government’s £100million rescue package, no information about its effect on flights to France has been given.

Flybe flies to 15 French airports: Avignon, Bergerac, Bordeaux, Brest, Caen, Cham-béry, La Rochelle, Limoges, Lyon, Nantes, Paris, Perpignan, Rennes, Rodez and Toulon.

Thomas Juin, manager of La Rochelle airport and head of the French airports association, told Connexion: “We have a schedule of flights for the summer season, drawn up from before the crisis, which is in place from April 2020 to the end of October 2020.

“The schedule has fewer flights than the year before but still in the range, as airlines adjust their offers.”

He said the only information airports have received from the company was a short statement welcoming the rescue deal.

British Airways parent company IAG laid an official complaint against the UK government at the European Commission after the rescue deal was announced.

It could be one of the last major complaints for illegal state aid against the UK in the EU before Brexit. The British prime minister’s office denied the deal reached to save Flybe was illegal state aid.

While not releasing details, Flybe told UK media it had been granted a “tax holiday” of £10million, and not the entire £100million it is thought to owe the government.

Rival budget airline Ryanair has since demanded a similar tax holiday, while easyJet has called for a cut in air passenger duty for all airlines.

The British government said the airline provided vital links between UK cities. It made no mention of international services, including those to France.

A European Commission spokeswoman said: “We can confirm we have received the submission from IAG.”

Asked about how Brexit would affect the handling of the case, she replied: “As long as the UK is an EU member state, it has all the rights and obligations of the membership.

“In particular, EU competition law, including EU state aid rules, continue to apply in full to the United Kingdom and in the United Kingdom until it is no longer a member of the EU.

“According to the Withdrawal Agreement, during the transition period, the entire body of EU law is due to continue to apply to, and in, the UK as if it were a member state.

“This includes EU rules relating to State aid.”

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas attacked the bailout, saying it “is inconsistent with any serious attempt to tackle the climate crisis”.

Flybe claims to be the “largest independent airline in Europe” with eight million passengers from 71 different airports.

Mr Juin said the airline, founded in 1979, played an important part in opening links between the UK and France.

“It has a different passenger profile compared to other airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet, with passengers who are well-off, and many of whom have homes in France.

“For many areas, it has played an important role in local economies, and I hope it survives.”

Flybe has not responded to Connexion’s requests for information on its French plans.