The new hedge fund owner of Flybe has applied for a UK operating licence.
Joint administrators sold what remained of the collapsed regional carrier to Thyme Opco, a company affiliated with investment advisor Cyrus Capital, in October.
The sale included Flybe’s business and assets, including the brand, intellectual property, stock and equipment.
New York-based Cyrus Capital was Flybe’s biggest shareholder before its failure in March.
But it failed to revive the Exeter-based carrier as the Covid-19 pandemic hit and partners Virgin Atlantic and Southend airport owner Stobart Group walked away after the government refused a £100 million bailout .
Thyme Opco filed an application for an operating licence with the Civil Aviation Authority on Tuesday.
One of the two directors in Thyme Opco is named as Jonathan Peachey, a senior advisor to Cyrus Capital who helped launch US domestic carrier Virgin America and served on the boards of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays.
A spokesman for the company said at the time of the deal to acquire Flybe’s assets that “we plan to start off smaller than before” but to restore “essential regional connectivity”.
At its peak, Flybe flew around 8 million passengers a year on a network of 81 airports in the UK and the rest of Europe.
Many of its UK domestic routes have since been picked up by Loganair and Eastern Airways.