Flybe - intelligent choice for business travel

Flybe continues to show its commitment to business travel with a growing range of innovative business-focused services to keep passengers on the move during challenging economic times.

One of Flybe’s most recent innovations is the creation of an XML-based web services option, being launched to allow third parties to directly access its pricing and booking engine without the need to resort to so called ‘screen-scraping’ activity. This is a move designed to protect its main website booking engine, confirming Flybe’s active support of, and commitment to, its online retailers.

The airline, recently announced Air Travel World’s 2009 Regional Airline of the Year, is the number one UK domestic regional point to point airline; number one airline from the UK regions to major European cities and is the largest scheduled airline operating from Birmingham, Exeter, Manchester, Southampton, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Belfast City.

Operating over 520 flights each day, Flybe serves key business destinations throughout the UK and regional Europe including up to 32 flights a day to and from London Gatwick Airport – where it is the third largest slot holder; 17 daily flights to and from Paris and 8 daily flights to and from Dusseldorf.

These routes, coupled with the additional Scottish routes offered by Loganair, Flybe’s franchise partner translates into an extensive high frequency route network featuring over 190 routes serving 13 countries from a total of 65 departure points (35 UK and 30 European airports). In addition, Flybe’s agreements with 142 global Interline partners means that passengers have the ability to connect with the world and have their bags checked through to their final destination from their original Flybe departure point.

Close to 50% of Flybe’s passengers are business travellers and, underpinning its growing success as this demanding sector’s affordable airline of choice, is the carrier’s commitment to offering a comprehensive, dedicated, quality range of business products.

Flybe Economy Plus, for example, offers fully flexible tickets, dedicated Executive Lounges, fast track check-in, complimentary seat assignment and the largest baggage allowance of any UK low fare airline.

In addition, Flybe also has a Spend & Fly credit card on which cardholders need only charge 1p within the first 12 months to qualify for one free return flight anywhere on Flybe’s route network. The credit card is also the only card of its type that concurrently accrues frequent flier points as part of Flybe’s loyalty programme, Rewards4all.

Rewards4all is the UK's only low-cost customer loyalty scheme open to all passengers that allows individuals to be in charge of their points, earned on every flight they take. Customer can then use their points to take advantage of a series of benefits including free flights and access to Flybe’s Executive Lounges.

In addition to providing comprehensive business travel services, Flybe aims to facilitate convenient booking methods. The popular business-to-business website at flybe2b.com enables companies to fully manage their travel activity online, giving them tailor made travel management information and travel support at the click of a button.

In commenting on this and its new Web Services product, Stephen Hobday, Flybe’s Head of Sales comments: "Our website is renowned for being strongly supported by a mature and innovative IT capability that is able to keep abreast of industry trends. As technology continues to evolve, it will be inevitable that demand from web-based platforms such as those used by flight aggregators, dot coms and providers of TMC and corporate booking tools, will increase.”

Flybe has also continued to meet customer demands by becoming a UATP merchant, implementing acceptance of Airplus (UATP's payment solution card) available now through all GDS systems. Available soon for web bookings.

Mr Hobday,adds: “Flybe is committed to providing an affordable service for our business travellers . From key commuter routes to Rewards4all and the Spend & Fly credit card, we are the first choice for any travel- wise corporates especially when now, more than ever, it’s important to be out there nurturing and winning new business.”