Flybe takes on Finnish routes (From Hampshire Chronicle)
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Flybe takes on Finnish routes
1:55pm Friday 12th October 2012 in Hampshire Business
By Matt Smith, Politics and business reporter
Flybe chairman and chief executive Jim French
Southampton largest carrier Flybe is to take on one-third of the European routes run by Finland's struggling carrier Finnair.
Flybe will operate 12 Embraer 100-seat aircraft for Finnair from the end of the month under a contract flying plan first unveiled in May.
Following a series of profit warnings, Flybe also said trading had stabilised in the past three months and it was now performing in the line with its revised expectations of revenue growth of between 0 and 2 per cent this year.
Flybe chairman and chief executive Jim French said: "Today's announcement marks another major step in the successful development of the Flybe Nordic business.
“This extension of our existing contract flying operations for Finnair is a key part of Flybe Nordic's strategy, adding substantial scale while balancing Flybe Group's overall risk.
"With this deal, 25 per cent of the fleet under Flybe Group's management will be deployed under contract flying arrangements. We believe there are many more similar opportunities to develop this side of the business."
