Coinciding with its first anniversary as FlyBE., the airline announced today
that it is launching a new low fares base at Exeter International Airport,
Devon.  Now established as the UK?s third largest low cost carrier, from 28
March, 2004, FlyBE will launch daily scheduled flights from Exeter
International Airport to:
¤ Alicante
¤ Malaga
¤ Murcia
¤ Belfast City
¤ Edinburgh
¤ Glasgow
All the routes, with the exception of Murcia, will go on sale immediately at
www.flybe.com with domestic fares from £19 one way and £49 one way to the
Mediterranean routes.  Murcia sales will go live in November.  The new
services complement existing scheduled flights to Dublin, Jersey and
Guernsey, taking the number of destinations offered by the airline from
Exeter next spring to nine.

Relaunched in July 2002 from British European to FlyBE., the Exeter-based
airline is now the largest operator at both Southampton and Birmingham
Airports with 12 and 10 routes, respectively.  FlyBE. is looking to mirror
similar growth in the West Country, bringing a boost to inbound tourism and
encouraging more businesses to move to Devon and Cornwall and enjoy a better
quality of life.
“We aim to carry 150,000 to 200,000 passengers on these new routes in the
first year,” FlyBE. Managing Director Jim French said today, declaring there
was a strong business case for the development of Exeter International
Airport.
“As Exeter?s long established local airline, it was appropriate for us to
pioneer the development of low cost air travel from the West Country. Exeter
has good demographics and a strong catchment area covering the four counties
of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset,” he added.

The move will create up to 100 more jobs at the airline among cabin crew,
ground personnel and administration support personnel, taking the airline?s
total number of Exeter-based staff to more than 800.  The deal will also
bolster activity at FlyBE.?s sister company, British European Aviation
Services, which will provide technical support at Exeter to its new
environmentally friendly Bombardier Q400 aircraft that will operate the
three new domestic routes.  The continental flights will be served by BAe
146s, which BEAS also supports.
The announcement today was warmly welcomed by Richard Westlake, Chairman of
Exeter and Devon Airport Limited.  “FlyBE.?s announcement reflects the
requests of both the business sector and the travelling public and we are
delighted that with this announcement today, FlyBE. emphasises its
commitment to the region?s major airport.”
As it prepares to launch these low fare routes, FlyBE. called on the local
community to support the new services.  “We hope this will be the first of
several route announcements as we look to expand at Exeter, the premier
airport for the South West,” said Jim French.  The initial six new routes,
together with Dublin and the Channel Islands, will bolster passenger numbers
beyond 500,000 per annum.  Looking to the future, FlyBE. is strongly backing
Exeter International Airport?s proposal to build a new passenger terminal on
the north side of the airfield.
FlyBE. also pledges to be a friendly neighbour.  Its new Bombardier Q400s,
which start operating from Exeter next year, are the world?s most
environmentally friendly aircraft with a dramatically lower noise footprint
(5% of the noise footprint of the 737-200) as well as lower fuel burn that
comparable aircraft.  Its BAe 146s are also renowned for their efficiency,
popularly known as ?Whisper Jets.?

FlyBE.?s leading market position was consolidated in April 2003, when the
airline signed one of the largest aircraft deals of 2003, placing a $818
million order for 17 firm Q400s, plus a further 20 on option.  The Q400s
will be deployed to replace existing capacity, with substantial operating
cost and efficiency benefits, and will allow FlyBE. to increase passenger
numbers by some 725,000 per annum.  This year, FlyBE. will carry 3.6 million
passengers.
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