Flybe workers call for Stormont to help save jobs

Flybe workers in NI who lost their jobs when the company collapsed have been protesting at Stormont.

The collapse of Europe's biggest regional airline last week brought to an end its services into and out of Belfast City Airport.

Pilots and cabin crew staff stood outside parliament buildings on Wednesday in their airline uniforms.

The protest came as Eastern Airways announced it would take over the Southampton route.

It is one of the routes that was operated by Flybe until it went into administration and is the third former Flybe service which has been replaced at the airport.

Roger Hage, Eastern Airways' General Manager, said: "Initially the Belfast City route will be daily and reconnects the south coast of England to Belfast for business and leisure, while inbound passengers have the London rail connection within the hour and access to the major cruise offering via the port."

It will start operating on 23 March.

The protesters at Stormont were joined by other trade union members and called for the government to take some action to save their jobs.

First officer Stephen Lynn expressed disappointment at the absence of air passenger duty relief in the budget.

"I watched it this morning before I came here - 100% relief for business rates in England for small businesses. Where was our support?" he said.

Ingrid Smith worked as part of the cabin crew for almost nine years.

"I'm here because I want my job back - I love my job and it is a disgrace how it happened last week," she told BBC News NI.

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Ms Smith was working on the last flight into Belfast the night the airline went into administration.

"We got the news when we landed at midnight.

"It feels really surreal to be here. You don't realise it is actually happening and even, for a lot of us now, having to go the benefits office and sign on, it doesn't feel real."

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Some of the former Flybe workers who took part in the protest were joined by family members including their young children.

One former cabin crew member was there with her partner, eight-month-old baby and mother.

"We are both out of a job now, with our little baby, so we are hoping something will come up that we can get back to work otherwise we are both unemployed," she said.

"I just don't know how the government could let this happen," she added.

Growing losses were compounded by the downturn in bookings as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

Flybe collapsed on Thursday after it failed to secure fresh funding

Loganair has taken over the Aberdeen and Inverness flights.

Flybe operated 14 routes from Belfast City Airport - about 80% of its scheduled flights.

Meanwhile Unite the union says Swissport, who operate ground services at Belfast City has started statutory redundancy consultation for 95 workers.