Don’t sacrifice Flybe to the eco-warrior mob

When I saw droves of carbonistas suggesting that the ailing airline Flybe should be left to nosedive into financial oblivion, I immediately rolled my eyes. Of course an airline that serves people outside of London is falling victim to the city’s woke scaremongers. To millions of people functioning outside of the capital’s bubble, however, travelling from places like Exeter, Belfast, Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds, and Norwich – Flybe is absolutely vital to their livelihood.

Of all the operators to pick an eco-fight with, Flybe is a strange choice. The company’s flagship aircraft, the Dash 8 Q400, utilises ‘turboprop’ technology for thrust, burning 30 per cent less fuel and producing an astonishing 30 to 40 per cent less carbon than normal jets. They are the eco-warriors of the airline industry, for goodness’ sake. Unfortunately, none of that matters in a culture where generic climate change arguments are stripped of nuance and militantly imposed with no questions asked.