Flybe

We are considering using Flybe from ORY to SOU for less $$ than the Eurostar to St. Pancras, taxi to Waterloo, and train to Southampton. The price for the upgrade that includes a checked bag and no change fee is @122 USD. The time savings is significant using this method but the price differential is only around $25.

We have experience with Ryanair:( and Easyjet:), but none with Flybe. Any advice or caveats?

We are considering using Flybe from ORY to SOU for less $$ than the Eurostar to St. Pancras, taxi to Waterloo, and train to Southampton. The price for the upgrade that includes a checked bag and no change fee is @122 USD. The time savings is significant using this method but the price differential is only around $25.

 

We have experience with Ryanair:( and Easyjet:), but none with Flybe. Any advice or caveats?

Flybe are fine and generally much more customer friendly than the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet. They're a good operator all in all.

Flybe are fine and generally much more customer friendly than the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet. They're a good operator all in all.

I have had nothing but great experiences with Easyjet, as recently as two weeks ago RAK-LGW.

One flight on Flybe was nice, no complaints.

My brother lives on an island that's a flybe hub. My mother travels every few months to see him and seems to have the worst luck with flybe, from massive delays to cancelled flights (and being rebooked onto flights to places 100 miles away), to having to check luggage that's perfectly within their size and weight limits. They've a reputation in the UK, or Jersey at least, as flymaybe. My mother now uses another small carrier who are excellent (Blue Islands) and British Airways too. That won't help you here though.

I've used them twice and they're OK, it was only a 30min each way flight on both trips, but it's my only flirtation with low cost carriers so I'm not sure quite how they stack up based on personal experience.

Given the alternative I'd prefer to use flybe versus that mess you described. A pity for you the Eurostar doesn't still go into Waterloo, would have been very easy to do the train then.

It appears that AirFrance also flies from ORY-SOU, but the scheduling is exactly the same as Flybe and AF's classic fare matches Flybe's upgraded fare. Do these 2 airlines codeshare? With AF, there'd be mileage accrued to my UA acc't.

It appears that AirFrance also flies from ORY-SOU, but the scheduling is exactly the same as Flybe and AF's classic fare matches Flybe's upgraded fare. Do these 2 airlines codeshare? With AF, there'd be mileage accrued to my UA acc't.

Yes, they codeshare. For example, today, Flybe has three flights ORY-SOU

Flight 3042 = AF 1770

Flight 3046 = AF 1870

Flight 3048 = AF 1970

However, I am curious how you get United credit on Air France, since United is Star Alliance and Air France is Skyteam?

With AF, there'd be mileage accrued to my UA acc't.

However, I am curious how you get United credit on Air France, since United is Star Alliance and Air France is Skyteam?

However, on the DL website there's a note next to "Air France" that says:-

(2) SkyTeam® partner. Unless otherwise noted, mileage credit is only applicable to SkyTeam-marketed flights operated by a SkyTeam member airline. Mileage credit is not applicable to a SkyTeam-marketed flight operated by another airline.

Yes, it was the Delta Sky Team logo, not Star Alliance! Should have been wearing my computer glasses. Thanks for finding the fine print, Globaliser, & too bad that earning miles is moot with a Flybe codeshare.