In 2020, British regional airline Flybe, based in Exeter, England will become Virgin Connect. In February 2019, the airline was sold to the Connect Airways consortium, backed by Virgin Atlantic and Stobart Aviation. Flybe and Stobart Air will subsequently operate under the Virgin brand, yet with their own Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

The full press release as mentioned on the new website Virgin Connect:

In 2020 Flybe will become Virgin Connect, your new go-to name in regional flying

As Flybe, we have been connecting passengers across the UK and Europe for 40 years and as we embark on an ambitious transformation, Virgin Connect will continue our work as Europe’s Largest Regional Airline.

As part of the extended Virgin family, Virgin Connect will reflect the innovation and entrepreneurship of Virgin’s wider brands, putting our customers first and offering better value.

Providing great customer experience is at the core of Virgin Connect’s DNA and will be one of the many ways in which we will differentiate ourselves in the regional market upon rebranding next year.

Connect Airways* CEO, Mark Anderson said: “We are hugely excited by this milestone in our airline’s 40-year history. We will remain true to our heritage and reason for being, which is offering essential regional connectivity to local communities.

“At its heart, Virgin Connect will be passionately focused on becoming Europe’s most loved and successful regional airline. It will offer travel that is simple and convenient with the personal touch. Our customers will naturally expect the same exceptional travel experience as they do with other Virgin-related brands. Whatever their reason for flying, we want our customers to feel loved and know we will always put their needs first in every decision we take.

“As part of the Virgin family, we now have a tremendously re-energised team. From here on in, we invite our customers, partners and the communities we serve to join us on every step of this exciting journey!”

Keep an eye on this website and the Flybe social media channels for updates on our exciting journey to Virgin Connect.

What changes will you see?

We’ll be saying goodbye to purple and hello to red. We’ll also be offering our customers an enhanced customer experience, whilst continuing to connect the regions & our passengers to what matters most.

What happens to my Flybe booking?

Your booking won’t be affected. We’ll take care of all the details so all you have to do is look forward to flying.

I want to book a flight. What happens now?

For now, please visit flybe.com to continue to book flights, check in and manage your booking.