Flybe, Europe’s largest and most successful regional airline is gearing up for an exceptionally busy August Bank Holiday weekend with passenger numbers up 5% over the same period last year. The airline is also experiencing extremely strong last minute demand for many of the 1836 flights flying across its extensive regional network over the long weekend, especially on its French regional and sun routes - possibly because of the inclement UK weather conditions the past few days!

As people flock to head off for their last summer break of 2010, Flybe’s most popular routes are those to and from the Channel Islands and between Belfast and Manchester. Flybe’s regular services are ideal for regional passengers needing convenient and affordable connecting flights to and from two of the country’s busiest airports.

The airline also reports there has been increased demand this year for its 18 regional services to and from Edinburgh over the extended period of the Edinburgh Festival over which time it has carried over 80 000 passengers to and from the city. Routes to the Scottish capital from Birmingham and Southampton have been particularly busy.

Flybe’s top 10 routes for the August Bank Holiday weekend are to and from:

  * Jersey and London Gatwick
  * Belfast and Manchester
  * Birmingham and Edinburgh
  * Belfast and London Gatwick
  * Guernsey and London Gatwick
  * Edinburgh and Southampton
  * Belfast and Birmingham
  * Jersey and Southampton
  * Birmingham and Glasgow
  * Inverness and London Gatwick

Mike Rutter, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer says: “It’s good to see that passengers are recognising and reaping the benefits of the savings to be made through booking with us. Flybe continues to offer great value for money travel from convenient regional airports especially to catch up with some last-minute summer sun.”