Flybe Group, Europe’s biggest regional airline, has appointed Christine Ourmieres-Widener as CEO. She succeeds Saad Hammad, who stood down in October, after struggling to increase earnings.

Flybe’s turnaround plans suffered a setback today after the regional airline warned its full-year results were likely to be weaker than expected.

Flybe Group, Europe’s largest independent regional airline, will add routes between London City Airport and destinations in the UK and Ireland in a push to attract business travellers.

Embattled airline Flybe confirmed the closure of six of its regional bases as it set out details of 500 job cuts announced earlier this week.