British regional airline Flybe is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy,
and the U.K.’s Department for Transport and Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy are weighing whether they can provide rescue funding,
according to Sky News.
Flybe, which is slated to change its name to Virgin Connect
this year, was acquired last February by a consortium called Connect Airways,
which includes Virgin Atlantic.
In statements, Flybe and the Department for Transport
neither confirmed nor denied the Sky News report.
“Flybe continues to focus on providing great service and
connectivity for our customers, to ensure that they can continue to travel as
planned,” the company said, adding that it doesn’t comment on “rumor or
speculation.”
The Ministry for Transport issued a similar statement.
“We do not comment on speculation or the financial affairs
of private companies,” a spokesperson said.
Flybe serves 15 countries and 80 airports, with a strong
focus on U.K. domestic travel.