Flybe collapse means travel misery for families as Cardiff flights cancelled

Thousands of people with flights booked with Flybe are having to make alternative arrangements after the low cost airline went into administration.

One of those families affected are the Jones's from Penarth, in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Gareth and his wife and children would frequently use the airline to fly to Dublin from Cardiff Airport.

The Jones family will now have to look for alternative travel if they are to celebrate Easter with family in Dublin.

The Jones family say they travel across the Irish Sea several times a year and now will have to look at making alternative arrangements for the foreseeable future.

For 11 year old Holly, she fears it may mean she will see her grandparents and cousins less often.

The close-knit family were due to fly to Dublin for Easter weekend and said they will now have to look for alternative travel if they are to celebrate Easter with their extended family.

Flybe's bookings this month are down 50 per cent on last year Credit: PA

When Europe's largest regional airline Flybe collapsed into administration on Thursday, it sparked fierce condemnation from unions and politicians.

The carrier narrowly avoided going bust in January but continued to lose money since then.

A drop in demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak “made a difficult situation worse” for Flybe, an airline source said.

The airline announced in the early hours of Thursday it had ceased trading with immediate effect and that administrators had been appointed.

Crisis talks were held throughout Wednesday to try to secure a rescue package, but no deal was agreed.

In a statement, chief executive Mark Anderson said the company had made “every possible attempt” to avoid collapse but had been “unable to overcome significant funding challenges”.

He went on to say “The UK has lost one of its greatest regional assets.”