An aircraft seized by the government over money owed by defunct airline Flybe has been released without payment.

When Flybe went bust on March 4, the government impounded a plane that was still on the ground at Ronaldsway in default of payments owed by the airline.

But it has been released after another company informed the government that it owns the aircraft and had leased it to Flybe.

Airport director Ann Reynolds told Isle of Man Newspapers at the time that the aircraft was seized over an unpaid invoice relating to landing fees and other charges.

A Department of Infrastructure spokesman said: ’It was no longer possible to hold the aircraft against the debt owed by Flybe.

Debt

’Despite initial conclusions, another operator was able to prove that Flybe had operated the aircraft under lease, and that the aircraft was not owned by the company.

’The Department of Infrastructure will continue to work with the administrators to recover the debt.’

The 13-year-old De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 aircraft left Ronaldsway at 4pm on May 22 and flew directly to Maastricht Airport in the Netherlands.

In the House of Keys on March 10, Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan confirmed that Flybe owed the DoI £303,245.16, but that Customs and Excise were awaiting the submission of the most recent return from Flybe in respect of air passenger duty.

Flybe had submitted and paid its January return in full. However the February return was not due until March 20.

Since Flybe collapsed, Scottish airline Loganair has taken on its former routes to Liverpool and Manchester and has been running a route to London Heathrow after London City was closed due to the pandemic.

The airline is also pressing ahead with its plans to restore the former Flybe route linking Birmingham with Ronaldsway. 

A spokesman said: ’Subject to continued progress on easing of lockdown restrictions and travel quarantine restrictions in the Isle of Man, Loganair expects to make a formal announcement about the launch of this service in the coming weeks.’