Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline and the UK’s Number One Domestic airline, has reported record sales for the upgraded services it has scheduled over this weekend’s Six Nations rugby clash in Dublin between England and Ireland -the penultimate and likely deciding game of this year’s Championship.

Flybe will operate a total of 26 flights between Southampton and the Irish capital this weekend and on several of the flights has substituted larger 118-seat Embraer 195 jets

for the usual 78-seater Q400 aircraft to satisfy demand. Flybe has also added an extra flight from Dublin on Sunday afternoon for those returning to the South Coast of England from the big match.

Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mike Rutter, says: “One of the secrets of Flybe’s successful business model is our ability to react quickly to our customers’ needs. When the Six Nations fixture list was published, we knew that there would be increased demand on our Southampton to Dublin route in particular, and we acted swiftly in order to fulfil this need. The sales that we have seen in the run-up to the game have clearly vindicated this move and highlights Flybe’s ongoing commitment to keeping Britain’s sports fans on the move.

“All that remains is for us to wish both teams well at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday. We all look forward to a thoroughly exciting match.”