FlyBe boss: 'I'm confident we have an exciting future'

FlyBe chief executive Saad Hammad has said he is "confident we have an exciting future" following the announcement that the Exeter-based airline plans to cut 500 jobs.

Pre-tax profits were £13.8m for the six months to 30 September, compared with a loss of £1.6m a year earlier.

Mr Hammad told BBC News: "While the concept of regional connectivity is a strong and powerful one and still relevant today, we've built up excessive costs."