The regional airline cancelled 32 flights from airports including Birmingham, Newcastle, Southampton, Belfast City, Aberdeen and Edinburgh on April 3 – a move Flybe said was due to “operational issues” including a lack of pilots.

“We have now put in place a number of contingency plans to minimise future disruptions and to manage any repeat of the level of cancellations made today (April 3),” said the airline in a statement. “No cancellations are expected tomorrow (April 4).

“The future situation remains under review and we will be doing everything possible to avoid any further undue inconvenience to passengers.”

Exeter-based Flybe is now owned by Connect Airways, a consortium made up of Virgin Atlantic, Stobart Group and investment company Cyrus Capital Partners. The plan is to eventually rebrand Flybe as Virgin Atlantic.

Flybe said the cancellations on Wednesday (April 3) were not connected to its decision to axe jet operations from four of its airports as well as closing two of its bases.

A total of six of the 118-seat Embraer 195s are being returned to lessors that previously operated out of Exeter, Norwich, Cardiff and Doncaster Sheffield airports.

The jet aircraft are being pulled from Exeter and Norwich at the start of the winter season with the last flights operated on October 26.

Cardiff and Doncaster’s jet schedules are being pulled at the same time as Flybe plans to close its bases at both airports. Aircraft and crew from other bases will continue to service the airports.