FlyBe Bombardier Q400 landing in Frankfurt.

I really enjoy this livery. It is light, easy and gets the job done. Although I like the concept of the name going up on the tail, I don’t think the execution fully works out since you mostly only see the “be” from a distance — maybe that was the plan.

The airline was founded in 1979, but was known as “Jersey European Airways.” The airline changed its name to “British European” and held that name for only about two years, when it changed its name again to “Flyby” in 2002. It is a low cost airline currently only flying the Bombardier Dash 8 (56 in the fleet) and the Embraer E-195 (14 in the fleet). The airline has orders for 35 Embraer E-175s. They serve destinations in the United Kingdom, Ireland and around Europe.

One of the more amusing things I have seen an airline do, Flybe tried to hire actors to pose as passengers in an attempt to avoid a £280,000 (about $450,000) fine for having empty seats in 2008. The airline had an agreement to fly 70,000 passengers from Norwich per year. Although the overall goal was being met with 136,000 passengers flown, they were falling short on the Norwich to Dublin route. They only needed 172 additional passengers and in the end did not even need to use the actors. Although very creative, I am not sure that was the intent during the contract negotiations. I would have loved to be the fly on the wall during that meeting. “Hear me out here people. We need 172 more passengers, why don’t we just pay actors to take a few flights and we have it.” Well, Flybe, if that ever happens again, ask me — I am sure I can find a few readers who would be willing to fly for free.

Source: BBC Image: Thomas Becker