Thyme OpCo LTD, the operating company behind the attempted resurrection of Flybe, has officially put a Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 on the UK register.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) G-INFO database, the 22-year old former Austrian Airlines aircraft is now registered as G-CLXC having been previously registered as OE-LGA.
The move coincides with a recent application by Thyme OpCo Ltd for a UK Air Operators Certificate (AOC) which could see Flybe restart airline operations in the UK.
Flybe collapsed in 2020 following years of mismanagement and losses and its fleet was returned to the leasing companies in the administration process.
Thyme OpCo ltd is backed by Lucien Farrells’ Cyrus Capital, the hedge fund that together with Virgin Atlantic and Stobart Group bought Flybe but was unable to save the airline from collapse.
The return may not be as simple as they hope though as the majority of routes operated by Flybe have been replaced by airlines including Loganair and Eastern Airways and it would need to win back public trust given its spectacular collapse which left thousands without jobs and passengers stranded.
The registration of an aircraft though shows that the plans are moving forward.
