Flybe Connecting Flights

This is a Flybe connecting flights guide.

The guide covers everything from how to book self-transfer flights with Flybe to baggage rules and air passengers rights. Flybe is a British low-cost airline. The airline filed for bankruptcy and ceased all operations in 2020, but it has relaunched its services in 2022 after getting a new owner. Right now the airline doesn’t service many destinations. Most of them are in the UK.

Book protected self-transfer connection with Kiwi.

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Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.

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How to Book Flybe Connecting Flights? Flybe Self Transfer?

First of all, Flybe doesn’t sell connecting flights.

If you buy two or three flights from Flybe, it’s a self transfer.

1. Flybe Connecting Flights

Flybe is a low-cost airline.

Just like any other low-cost airline, Flybe doesn’t offer connecting flights, only point-to-point direct flights. If you want to book a connection with Flybe, the only way is to book several Flybe flights separately. It will be a self-transfer flight, and the transfer won’t be protected by the airline.

Self-transfer connecting flights are:

• Always risky. If you miss a connecting flight, it’s your fault.
• Less convenient. You check in separately for every flight. You collect and recheck baggage after every flight.
• More difficult to book. You have to book every flight separately.

Self transfers are riskier than protected connections.

You can book self-transfer flights / self transfer connections with Flybe.

1.1 Several Flights With Flybe

You may book several separate flights with Flybe.

Booking separate flights with low-cost airlines is a very common practice.

You want to go someplace, but there are no direct flights. You can book an airline-protected connecting flight. Or you can plan the connection yourself — you can book two flights, or sometimes three flights with a budget airline. Depending on the season, destination and often some other factors (like the amount of baggage you are travelling with), self-transfer flights with low-cost may be so much cheaper than a regular connecting flight.

You can book self-transfer with Flybe, too. Just remember that self-transfer flights are riskier than protected connecting flights.

Flybe doesn’t sell protected connecting flights.

1.2 Flights With Different Airlines

You may decide to fly with two or more airlines.

If your preferred low-cost airline doesn’t fly to your destination, you can plan a self-transfer with more than one low-cost airline. You can book one flight with Flybe, and the second — with Ryanair, Wizz Air or easyJet. It also could be a flight with a full service airline like KLM, Lufthansa or Qatar Airways. 

However, in this case, there’s no difference. No matter what airline you choose, it will still be a self-transfer flight. If you don’t make it in time for your connection, the airline won’t book you on another flight. You’ll have to deal with it yourself. 

Sometimes there are also protected connecting flights with different airlines. But it’s not the case with Flybe. Because it’s a low-coster. If one flight is with a low-cost airline, then it’s not such a flight.

No matter if your self-transfer connection is only with Flybe, or Flybe and some other airline:

• You check in for every flight separately.
• You collect baggage and recheck it yourself.
• If you miss a connecting flight, it’s your responsibility. Finding and paying for a new flight. It’s all your responsibility. Airlines won’t help you with this. In some situations you may have a right to care from airline and flight compensation. Speaking of the latter, you should contact the airline operating the “bad flight”.

It is possible to insure self-transfer flights.

Travel insurance that covers trip cancellation and delays will come in handy.

Or, you can book self-transfer flights using kiwi.com. Kiwi allows you to buy self-transfer consisting of multiple flights with a single click. You don’t have to search for each flight. If you buy your self-transfer flight from kiwi.com, you may have more rights and enjoy more convenience. For example, Kiwi offers its customers an option to check in for several flights at once, and they also offer protection in case of missed connections.

But you won’t get any of these perks when you book flights directly from Flybe or any other low-cost airline for that matter.

Book protected self-transfer connection with Kiwi.

2. What If Flybe Cancels a Flight?

Why airlines are cancelling their flights?

It can happen due a number of reasons. The most common are: bad weather, staff shortage, various technical problems, airport congestion, security issues, or airport employee strikes.

2.1 One of Your Flights Is Cancelled

Flybe is a British airline (European airline).

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:

• Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
• Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their commercial flights.

What if you miss another flight because of that? Unfortunately, Flybe won’t assist you. It’s not an airline-protected transfer. The airline isn’t responsible for any other flights that you have — even if the other flight or flights are operated by Flybe. You may have more rights if your connection is insured.

You may have a right to compensation (more on this below).

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Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.

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2.2 All Your Flights Are Cancelled

Overall, for you as a passenger, the options are the same.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Flybe must:

• Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
• Offer you assistance at the airport if it’s a last-minute cancellation and you are already at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their commercial flights.

Refund must be paid within seven days.

You may have a right to EU flight cancellation compensation.

2.3 Flybe Refund for Cancellation

Yes, you have a right to ask for a refund.

If you don’t wish to take the alternative flight offered by Flybe, choose a refund. You have a right to choose whatever fits your travel plans the best. You have a right to request refund from Flybe. It has to be paid to your bank account. You don’t have to accept vouchers.

3. Flybe Missed Connecting Flight

What if you miss one of your Flybe flights?

Why it is even happening? Why do people miss their flights? Very often people miss their flight because of the delay or cancellation of the previous flight. Or it could be something at the airport — long queues or airport congestion. 

You may also fall asleep while waiting for your flight. Or you could confuse am with pm, or arrive at the airport too late.

3.1 What Happens If You Miss Flybe Connection?

Remember this, Flybe doesn’t sell connecting flights.

If you have several flights with Flybe, or one flight with Flybe and one with Ryanair, or any other airline, this is a self transfer. No matter why you miss connection, it’s your responsibility.

No airline is responsible for this connection.

No airline is responsible if you make it or not.

They are responsible for their flight only — they are responsible for delays, cancellations and overbookings (that results in denied boarding). Flybe is responsible for their flights. According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:

• Take you to your final destination as soon as possible (if a flight is cancelled, another flight must be offered; the same applies to denied boarding due to overbooking).
• Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

Read more: Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay 

3.2 Right to Compensation from Flybe

Sometimes you have a right to compensation.

You have two flights with Flybe. Your first flight arrives 3 hours later than scheduled. If this delay was due to the airline’s fault, you may have a right to flight delay compensation. If your connection time is short, you will miss your next flight. But you won’t get compensation for that. But you still may have a right to compensation for first flight.

The same rules apply to your second flight. If it’s delayed due to the fault of the airline, and you reach your final destination 3+ hours later than planned, you may have a right to compensation.

Make a claim to get compensation.

Flight cancelled less than 2 weeks before the trip?

You might be entitled to flight cancellation compensation.

3.3 Right to Care from Flybe

On all Flybe flights, you have a right to care.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004 airline should provide:

• Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
• Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary;
• Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
• Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails. 

It applies to all domestic and international flights with Flybe. Again, it’s because Flybe is a European airline. With non-European airlines it applies only to flights departing from European airports.

4. How to Book Connecting Flights with Flybe?

You can do it directly from Flybe or via a third-party.

But I’ll repeat— these will be self-transfer flights. When booking self-transfer flights, it’s safer to book them via a third-party flight booking website than directly from the airline. Because it may include a travel insurance. 

We recommend kiwi.com for that.

Read more: How to Book Connecting Flights?

5. Flybe Connecting Flights: Baggage

Flybe is a low-cost airline from Europe.

Flybe sells only direct flights, not connecting flights.

Accordingly, you have to recheck baggage for every flight. Flybe doesn’t offer connecting flights. Every flight you book with Flybe is a separate flight. That’s why you have to collect and recheck baggage after each flight. If there’s passport control at the airport, you have to go through it after each flight. Take this into account when planning a layover / stopover.

Leave yourself plenty of time. 

5.1 Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines

What happens if there are several airlines?

What if one of your flights is with a different airline, not Flybe? It doesn’t matter. Your connection is still unprotected. These are separate flights, and you have to collect and recheck baggage after every flight. You have to do it yourself.

Read more: 

• Connecting Flight Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines
• Lost Baggage on Connecting Flights
• Delayed Baggage on Connecting Flights
• What is Checked Baggage?

5.2 Flybe Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance varies — it’s not the same on all flights.

Baggage allowance varies depending on the airline, ticket type, seating class, destination, and occasionally some other factors. You should pay attention to baggage allowance when making a booking. Don’t forget also about the cabin baggage rules on Flybe flights — they are pretty strict.

Unlike some other low-cost airlines, Flybe offers different ticket types.

The cheapest option is “Flybe Lite” which includes only one small carry-on bag (7 kg, 45 x 36 x 20 cm). The next ticket type is “Flybe Smart” which includes a small carry-on bag and 15 kg checked bag. The third ticket type is “Flybe Plus” which includes priority boarding and up to 23 kg hold baggage. But you are only allowed a small 7 kg cabin bag on the plane. Take into account, that this doesn’t change through ticket types.

As you can see, Flybe doesn’t offer free checked baggage allowance.

5.3 Flybe Carry-On Bag Allowance

By default you can bring only one small bag (7 kg, 45 x 36 x 20 cm).

With “Flybe Smart” and “Flybe Plus”, you are allowed to bring a hold bag (15 kg and 23 kg respectively) which you will check in at a Flybe counter. If you need to book several Flybe flights, and you would like to check in your luggage, you have to purchase “Flybe Smart” or “Flybe Plus” for every single flight separately. 

6. Connecting Flight Examples

Here are two “connecting flight” examples with Flybe.

6.1 Self-Transfer Flights with Flybe (Most Common)

For this example, I’ll use the website of Flybe.

Assuming I want to fly from Belfast City to Avignon.

There are no direct Flybe flights from Belfast City to Avignon. But there’s a flight from Belfast City to Southampton, and from Southampton there’s a weekly flight to Avignon.

1. As there’s a weekly flight from Southampton to Avignon, I have to search for this flight first. There’s one on September 3 at 3:15 pm.
2. Now, let’s look if there are flights on this date from Belfast City to Southampton. There is but it arrives too late (at 3:00 pm). So we have to arrive in Southampton one day earlier, on September 2. There’s a flight from Belfast City to Southampton on September 2 at 10:20 am.
3. Let’s book the flight from Belfast City to Southampton first. Then let’s book the second flight, Southampton to Avignon.

Here is the first flight:

Here is the second flight:

I can book these flights, or look for other options. Other dates are available too.

You can use the webpage of Flybe to search for flights, or a flight booking website you like, and see what you can find there.

Unlike how it is with connecting flights, with self-transfer flights sometimes it’s the opposite — sometimes it’s safer to book flights from a third-party flight booking website than directly from Flybe. Because it may include an insurance.

6.2 Flights With Different Airlines (Very Popular)

I can travel on the same route but with different airlines.

One of my flights can be with Flybe, but other — with any other airline. In any case, these will be self-transfer flights. Just like in the previous example, I can book these flights directly from the airline or using a third-party flight booking website like Kiwi.

I’ll use kiwi.com to find self-transfer flights faster.

1. Using kiwi.com, I have found that there’s a flight from Belfast to Southampton on September 3, departing at 9:10 am. It’s an Eastern Airways flight.
2. The next flight is from Southampton to Avignon departing at 3:15 pm. It’s the same flight as in the example No 1. There’s a 4h 30m layover between the two flights. It’s enough.

Book protected self-transfer connection with Kiwi.

You can book these flights separately, directly from Eastern Airways and Flybe. Or you can use kiwi.com. It’s actually better to book this self-transfer from kiwi.com. Unlike how it is with connecting flights, with self-transfer flights sometimes it’s the opposite — sometimes it’s safer to book flights from a third-party flight booking website than directly from the airline. Because it may include an insurance.

When booking self-transfer flights, pay attention if you need to change airports. Be extra careful when an itinerary involves change of airports. Leave yourself plenty of time if that’s the case.

In both situations, make sure to check the entry and transit rules. Do you need a visa for a connecting flight like this? If the country you are transiting through requires a visa for visitors, then most likely you will need a visa for this connection. Because these are self-transfer flights. Even if you don’t plan to leave the airport, you may need a visa. You will need to go through passport control to get to departures terminal. Take this into account!

What is your experience with Flybe? Have you ever missed a flight with Flybe? How did the airline solve this? Have you received compensation or refund from Flybe? Did you file a compensation claim yourself or via a flight compensation company?

Featured photo by Jack Edwards