This deal, common in the aviation industry, improves access to the long-haul routes of Virgin Atlantic for regional customers flying from and to Heathrow and Manchester. Discussions over the takeover come as last week Flybe appointed accountants from KPMG in a bid to save itself from collapse after the company's auditor, PwC, warned there were "significant doubts" over the future of the company. As revealed by Flybe, half-year profits plunged, with the airline burning through £32.5m of cash during the first half of the financial year.