1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Travel

Citing Brexit, British airline Flybmi ceases operations

February 17, 2019

British airline Flybmi is shutting down due to rising fuel prices, carbon costs and uncertainty around Brexit. It is the latest company to be impacted as Britain prepares to exit the EU on March 29.

Flybmi
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/CTK/V. Salek

British regional airline Flybmi announced Saturday it has ceased operations and filed for administration, citing among other things uncertainty caused by Brexit.

Parent company British Midland Regional Limited said it had canceled all flights with immediate effect and its 17 airplanes would no longer connect 25 European cities.

Read more: In a spin: Brexit spells trouble for UK vinyl industry 

"The airline has faced several difficulties, including recent spikes in fuel and carbon costs," a spokesperson said. "Current trading and future prospects have also been seriously affected by the uncertainty created by the Brexit process."

Read more: Hard Brexit risks 100,000 German jobs: report

The airline, based in the East Midlands region of England, said it had difficulty securing post-Brexit flying contracts to destinations in Europe and there was uncertainty about being able to serve destinations after Britain leaves the EU on March 29.

Flybmi carried 522,000 passengers on 29,000 flights last year. It had 376 employees in Britain, Germany, Sweden and Belgium.  

Read more: Dutch government wooing 250 companies about Brexit move 

It is the latest company to be impacted by Britain's upcoming exit from the EU, with several firms saying they would move their headquarters out of the country.

cw/sms (AFP, dpa, Reuters)

Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

Skip next section Explore more
Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW