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FLYBE review :  7 May 2009 : by Paul Clifford   (UK)

I want to like Flybe as they fly from my local airport but their business practices make it very difficult to do so. They market themselves as a low cost airline but their flights always seem far more expensive than others eg Easyjet and Ryanair. Their taxes and charges too are more. Most annoying though is their baggage charge. I usually check in online and have a carry on case that fits within their dimensions yet recently I am still being told that I have to go to their desk and have it checked. When it fits clearly within their hand baggage case measuring cage, they now insist on weighing it. Everything about Flybe now seems to be about getting their passengers to pay more. I for one have had enough.

FLYBE review :  5 May 2009 : by G Meardi   (UK)

I fly frequently with FlyBe, only because it monopolises many routes from Birmingham, which I need for family and work reasons (to Hamburg and Milan mostly). Previously, these connections were operated by BA at a much better service and lower average price. So I'd define Flybe as a company for the market niche 'high price - low service', I have paid up to £600 for BHX-Milan, with still not checked luggage and not even a glass of water included. But the worst thing is their hand-luggage policy: they do not advertise clearly that their size limits are lower than average (50x35x23cm instead of the 55x35x25cm of most airlines). In this way, many cabin- specified trolley bags fall fool of their policies and passengers are met with £12 fees. One would accept this if prices were as low as for Ryanair, but not if prices are higher than for BA.

FLYBE review :  27 April 2009 : by E Larkin   (UK)

Paris CDG to Southampton. Courteous and efficient - but I thought a gang of drunken hooligans were on the plane. It turned out that Flybe have gone in for brutal musak, occasionally interrupted by an over-excited 15-year-old, yelling that he is young. Good for him. When he shut up, the fighting broke out again. Flybe are running an airline, not a funfair, and even the young are only travelling.

FLYBE review :  27 April 2009 : by A Hall   (UK)

Returning from a transatlantic cruise my husband and I were flying back from Southampton to Leeds Bradford this week with Flybe. We had three suitcases (checked in on-line and paid for) and two hand bags, both within all airline hand-baggage size restrictions - oh, but not Flybe. They omit to tell you that their cabin overhead lockers are smaller than any other airline, so any cabin baggage has to be to their own size limits. They would not allow our hand baggage on board. We had to empty everything out and squeeze it all, including one of the bags, into our other suitcases, thus making our hold luggage 14kg overweight - for which we were charged GBP180. We were so distressed, my husband went to try and hire a car. It would have only cost us £86 to take a car all the way home and return it to a local office in Harrogate the next day, but unfortunately they had run out of cars. No surprise there then. We were surrounded by other people also in the same situation. One couple, flying to Belfast were actually advised to empty there hand luggage into black bin liners (provided by flybe ground staff), pay an extra £13 per bag for EMPTY extra baggage, and check in their bin liners as their hand luggage allowance. These would of course fit the required measurement. What a joke. The Flybe staff were rude and unaccomodating - they really could not care one jot how upset we were. Not just us, but lots of other passengers around us, most of whom had been on the same cruise as ourselves. Value for money airline? You've got to be kidding.

FLYBE review :  24 April 2009 : by H Kemshall   (UK)

Glasgow to Birmongham 16-40 on April 20th delayed until 19-25 with actual departure of 19-50. Explanation is that our original plane was sent from Glasgow to Manchester to pick up passengers for Glasgow, then plane refuelled for us. Due to 'technical difficulties', but delays on this route are becoming common, and I suspect it is flight amalgamations due to low numbers (we have waited for passengers from Edinburgh before now). I have yet to return from Glasgow on time. Adding insult to injury, no advice re compensation, and the 18-45 went on time before us! Birmingham to Edinburgh 7-00 am flights, despite prebooked seats and paying extra for first few rows, they are always asking us to move to the back for 'ballast'. Why sell seats at front with a premium if we are not guaranteed them? just money making. I am beginning to detest Flybe and their poor service, thinking seriously about the train.

FLYBE review :  22 April 2009 : by David Killen   (UK)

Southampton to Glasgow. Check in fine, boarding staff not so good in that they did not inform passengers of 20 minute delay. Flight deck and cabin crew fine. Nice flight to Glasgow which, despite earlier delay arrived on time. However, would not use this airline again as we got the impression that everything about their services is designed to get as much money as possible from passengers either through excess baggage charges or in-flight shop. Owing to circumstances at home tried to get an earlier flight to Edinburgh, but was told this would cost an extra £180.00 each! Will book train from Southampton in future.

FLYBE review :  20 April 2009 : by Alex Preda   (UK)

I took a flybe flight from Birmingham to Edinburgh on 16 April, scheduled departure at 20.30, arrival in Edinburgh at 21.35. At 20.45 we were on the plane, at the gate, without any announcement being made. Then the pilot came on the tannoy and said that instead of flying to Edinburgh we are going to fly first to Cardif to pick up passengers from a Cardiff to Edinburgh flight which had technical difficulties. As a compensation, said the pilot, flybe was going to offer us one complimentary soft drink. This bit was particularly insulting: dividing the price of their soft drinks by the extra hours we spent on the plane means that flybe values its customers time at about 50p per hour. This soft drink was distributed on the Cardiff to Edinburgh leg of the flight. We arrived after 10pm in Cardiff and there were no more than ten passengers who boarded the plane to Edinburgh which makes me suspect that due to low passenger numbers flybe simply canceled the flight Cardiff to Edinburgh and diverted another plane to pick them up. We arrived in Edinburgh after midnight. With all the stress and the great delay, the crew still found time for an in flight perfume and junket sale - but I assume this is mandatory for them. I will never fly this airline again.

FLYBE review :  16 April 2009 : by Ally Dee   (UK)

Edinburgh to Southampton with a cabin sized suitcase with no problems from pleasant check in lady. Unfortunately the return journey was not as easy or pleasant as was informed that my cabin baggage was to large by 2cms and that it would have to go as hold baggage and would charge me £13.00 for the pleasure. Another way to increase profits I suppose. Possibly looks cheap but watch out for hidden charges.

FLYBE review :  16 April 2009 : by Neil Woodall   (UK)

Newquay to LGW return. The fare was competitive as long as you avoid the additional charges. The aircraft on this route is a Dash 8 Q400 which was clean and bright. The outbound flight was on time with an efficient cabin crew, although the flight was less than half full. The return flight was full, flight left late due to delayed boarding caused by the seething mass in LGW South terminal. Once again the flight was pleasant enough although the food choice developed by a celebrity chef did not inspire you to buy. The FlyBe website is easy to use although on-line check in is not available ex NQY. The downside was the £5 airport development tax charged at NQY by the airport operator, in addition to all the other taxes. Healthy competition on a previously high fare route.

FLYBE review :  9 April 2009 : by David Blowers   (UK)

Regular traveller between NCL and SOU on Q400 Dash aircraft. Flights virtually always on time, and preassigned seats are a Godsend, preventing the "Ryanair Crush". Check-in at NCL is rapid (if you use fast drop) but sadly at SOU not as quick - though this is more of an airport issue. Legroom is not wonderful, but flights on Q400 are short enough that this is not a major issue. Staff are friendly and polite and usually quite happy to accomodate any requests. They do like you to sit at rear of plane for takeoff/landing due to size of aircraft.