Flybe is First to fly under New CAA Ash Safety Regulations

Hundreds of thousands of travelers have been disrupted by the cloud of volcanic ash that continues to haunt airspace across much of the UK, as well as parts of Europe. However, this is all getting better with new safety rules that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved thanks to researched proposals from Flybe, who will be first UK airline to meet the new standards.

Flybe confirmed that they will be the first carrier to fly under the new CAA ash safety regulations, which is effective immediately. The aviation watchdog called on the industry to give researched proposals to improve the safety of flights being able to operate in low concentration levels of volcanic ash. The carrier said that they worked with Canadian engine manufacturers Pratt & Whitney, Bombardier and the Met Office to provide the proposal adopted by the CAA.

Flybe says that their top priority is safety, and the new regulations will mean that their passengers will be less affected by future volcanic ash. For example, on Sunday and Monday combined, the airline said that they canceled 380 services, which would have only been 21 if the new rules were in effect then. This means that the ash cloud would only have affected less than 3% of their operations during those 2 days.

Flybe also thanked the CAA and Met Office for supporting their work. The carrier looks forward to working with them more in the future to safely get Britain off the ground again, the airline continued. Flybe added that they hope the new regulations will mean their customers are more confident about booking with them.