Flybe airline announces name change to Virgin Connect

Connect Airways paid a total of £2.8m for Flybe's assets and operations

The airline Flybe has changed its name to Virgin Connect following its £2.8m sale.

The name change will be accompanied by a new livery and the purple planes will be repainted red.

The Exeter-based regional airline was sold in February to a consortium of operators called Connect Airways, which was led by Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic.

The company said flights would continue to operate as normal.

Passengers are advised to continue to book flights, check in and manage bookings via Flybe.

Connect Airways chief executive Mark Anderson said the company would be focused on becoming "Europe's most loved and successful regional airline".

Flybe started in 1979 and operates nine out of 10 flights from Southampton Airport.

It has about 76 planes operating from smaller airports such as London City, Southampton, Aberdeen and Newquay.

It flies about eight million passengers a year between 71 airports across the UK and Europe.