So it would seem official, BBC News and the Baby thread reporting that Baby will cease all flights in Sept, from June all BHD flights plus BHX-NOC and BHX-AMS and a whole host from EMA are canned due to a/c leases expiring. The vultures are already cherry picking routes, so even if a buyer is found at the eleventh hour, how will the airline carry on? Confidence in them after this announcement will be shattered. So, following on from the BE news yesterday, ZB are now ramping up frequencies on BHX-AGP, PMI, FCO, ALC and introducing BCN. Also opening new base at EMA to serve WW bucket and spade routes.
Commercially speaking EMA has done very well out of this as an airport with two new based carriers in two days both of which enrich its airline portfolio. BHX am sure will see some more ZB expansion on the back of this and surely now this is finally the open door needed for EZY to step in/take over other former WW routes? This is a snippet from the ZB press release announcing the new base:
Monarch managing director Kevin George said: "In light of recent industry
changes, opportunities have opened up in the market. It has become clear that
the Midlands will be underserved as a region in the future, and that there is a
lack of quality carriers to serve customers travelling from the area.
"As
an airline with over 40 years heritage and a stronghold in the Midlands already,
the expansion of our existing services from Birmingham and the launch of
operations from East Midlands makes perfect sense for Monarch, and accelerates
the strategy we announced last year to focus on the development of our scheduled
operations into key leisure destinations across the Mediterranean, the Canaries
and North Africa."
Speaking personally, I am gutted that this has happened and my full sympathies go out to all the hard working Baby staff, I have had nothing but excellent service and flights from them and it is very sad to see the once illustrious British Midland/BMI name disappear. IMO it would seem to me as an outsider that they have been well and truly shafted. Good luck one and all and I will make sure that I get one last flight with you guys over the summer. A very sad day indeed
