Bmi reduce number of seats from BHD

[eastern wiseguy]

I understand that Bmi are shortly to withdraw the A321 from BHD-LHR service on a temporary basis.Apparently there is a software glitch which needs rectifying.Looks like the NI public will suffer again as far as Heathrow services are concerned.:rolleyes:

[mysecretsmile]

Eastern Wiseguy - if your comments are correct i'd agree with you that its bad news for the passengers looking to get to LHR from NI.

There already are days that BMI are looking for passengers to change flights and offering vouchers or cash to those who oblige.
The demand for seats on the BMI service during July was incredible, its maybe about time BMI looked at increasing the frequency of flights they offer on the BHD-LHR by 1 or 2 per day.

Eastern have you heard anything recently on BMI's previous plans to introduce new routes from BHD to Paris & Brussels. I know they had applied for slots at both airports back in Nov 02 - maybe they are waiting on some of this new money from the Dept of Enterprise. (see link)

Link (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/business_telegraph/story.jsp?story=430416)

[bounty]

There already are days that BMI are looking for passengers to change flights and offering vouchers or cash to those who oblige.

it's not just on the BHD flights :hmm:

[eastern wiseguy]

mss.....I have heard nothing other than the A321'S are to be removed from the route(source...Bmi first officer).This means that the current overbooking will lead to fewer seats and a poorer service.I understand that the problem relates to A321's only and the short runways at BHD in particular.Perhaps a Bmi bod might offer more info?

[Young Paul]

I heard that FlyBe pilots don't even like taking 146's there - and they are substantially slower and lighter!

Does it have anything to do with resurfacing work going on?

[CormacL]

Rumours have it , question over landing perf at bhd and will cost BMI 560 seats/day (280 each way) on a already overcrowed service.Such a joy being a commuter

[Kestrel_909]

Strange this is brought up now. Popped into BHD this evening for an hour and got talking to an Australian avaition enthusiast (very keen indeed, turns out he has rebuilt and old Dakota back home down under, showed me his pictures of it plus took 36rolls of film in America lastweek while there of a/c.) Anyway he was going to LHR and was telling me he was taking a later flight because of his first choice was 20 over and was offered some sort of bonus.

As for 146s and A320s into City, watching them this evening the A320 does get airbone noteably earlier than what a FlyBe146 did.
Though more and more of them seem to be requesting these left and right turns after departure depending if off 22 or 04 and coming back over the field, any particular reason why? The BMI did it and made an impressive 'flyby' overhead and then the BE too.

[Tower Ranger]

K909
We use the left turns off 04 for a couple of reasons.
There is no noise abatement procedure required so we can get traffic off 04 when 22 inbounds are alot closer. You can also launch faster stuff a bit earlier if they`re behind a slow climber, the pilots seem to like it and it adds a bit of variety.
Right turn outs off 22 are usually only any use to flights via Blaca again no noise abatement and saves a few miles.

[ALLMCC]

yes, agree with previous comments - seems there is already a significant shortage of capacity on this route - if the A321 is withdrawn even for a short period and replaced with the A320, this will only make matters worse - one can only hope that BMI have some contingency plan to address the issue of capacity - would the best way to do this not be to increase the no of flights to counteract the 40 seat reduction per sector?

Of course, there may be a problem with aircraft availability - do BMI still have B737's or are these all away to BmiBaby - what about the F100's - as a last resort, could they not lease in a/c if needed.

BMI would need to act quickly otherwise the loco vulture at BFS will be all too ready to attack - like any service provider, holding on to the customer is much easier than to lose and try to get back!

[Best Western]

And BMI have the slots at Heathrow, with aircraft, crews, etc just so they can fill an extra 40 seats at BHD?

What BMI will do is increase fares and price the lowest 40 passegers out of the market. :ok: