Flybe passengers offered free travel on Avanti West Coast and FirstGroup trains this week

• Avanti West Coast and FirstGroup Rail companies will offer a free ticket on its trains to Flybe passengers and employees

Following the news that airline Flybe will not be providing any flights today (Thursday 5 March),  FirstGroup's rail companies, including Avanti West Coast, will offer a free ticket on its trains to all Flybe customers and employees intending to travel during the coming week.

FirstGroup’s rail companies comprise of Avanti West Coast; Great Western Railway; South Western Railway; TransPennine Express and Hull Trains.

Customers will need to provide a boarding pass or other valid proof of booking for a flight any time up to 23:59 on Wednesday 11 March. They should show this to employees at the station ticket office where they begin their journey and will be given a complimentary standard class ticket to their original flight destination, via any reasonable route. Flybe employees should show staff ID to take up the same offer.

Phil Whittingham, Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, said: "This is a very difficult time for Flybe staff and passengers. If we can help make it a bit easier we're happy to do so."

First Rail Managing Director Steve Montgomery said: “Our rail services connect people and communities up and down the country and as a gesture of goodwill we want to ensure that anyone who was due to travel on Flybe’s grounded flights this coming week can still complete their journey.”