Ohh won't the next few months be interesting.
Here is my take on this, believeable or not!
It has been known for sometime that both BMI and Flybe have never been ones to step on each others toes and I think that is continuing under what some have labelled as a 'gentlemans agreement' between Mr Bishop and Mr French.
BMI know that the MANBHD route is more popular than BFS. It is BA's last route out of BHD and Flybe want it, knowing full well that it is very profitable!, however not at the expense of a head to head with Bmibaby. Could it be that the change of routes from BMIbaby to BMI mainline could result in Flybe gaining access to MAN. This would allow Flybe to push BA out of the BHD route and expand with services to the Channel Islands, Scotland, Southampton (already announced), Exeter, etc. I think so, and in order for Flybe to gain access to MAN, as it has wanted for some time, BMIbaby has, under a 'gentlemans agreement' been given access to BHX.
If this is anywhere near accurate then I think it unlikely that BMIbaby will operate any routes in competition with Flybe. Far more likely that BMIbaby will operate the lengthy routes that Flybe simply cannot reach with their 146's (ie) AGP/ALC/MJV/BCN/NCE.....maybe I smell a codeshare agreement coming on!
This may give Flybe some more time to review the 146 debate and would provide security for both firms against the likes of Easy and Ryanair.
Just a thought, or do i suffer from an overactive imagination!