Almost 400 jobs will be lost with the collapse of flybmi, administrators have confirmed.
Three restructuring partners from accountancy firm BDO were yesterday appointed as joint administrators for East Midlands-based British Midland Regional, which operated as flybmi.
The regional carrier ceasing trading suddenly on Saturday leaving passengers stranded across the UK and Europe.
British Airways is the latest carrier to offer special rescue fares for flybmi passengers, joining easyJet, Loganair and Ryanair.
Flybmi operated 17 regional jet aircraft on routes to 25 European cities and carried 522,000 passengers on 29,000 flights last year.
The majority of flybmi’s 376 staff across the UK, Germany, Sweden and Belgium have been made redundant, although some have been retained to assist the joint administrators, BDO confirmed.
BDO business restructuring partner Tony Nygate said: “As joint administrators, we are taking all necessary steps to ensure customers, staff and suppliers are supported through the administration process.
“Our job is to maximise recoveries and minimise distress for all parties, acting as smoothly and swiftly as possible.
“Customers can find information on the flybmi website regarding the steps they need to take to apply for a refund from their payment provider or travel company.
“We are also working with the company’s employees to provide them with guidance on how to make a claim for monies which may be due to them.
“In addition, we are contacting suppliers to explain how to apply for monies owed to them.”
BDO also issued guidance to affected passengers:
- Customers who booked directly with flybmi should contact their payment card issuer to obtain a refund for flights which have not yet taken place.
- Customers who have booked flybmi flights via a travel agent or one of flybmi’s codeshare partner airlines are advised to contact their agent or airline for details of options available to them.
- Customers who have travel insurance should contact their travel insurance provider to find out if they are eligible to claim for cancelled flights and the procedure for doing so.
The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that BA was offering rescue fares on routes between London and Aberdeen, Brussels, Paris, Dusseldorf, Billund, Frankfurt, Belfast, Munich, Newcastle and Oslo.
More: Flybmi collapses in face of Brexit uncertainty and soaring fuel costs
Loganair takes over collapsed flybmi Aberdeen and Newcastle services
Which? warns of industry ‘instability’ following flybmi failure