Why is everyone else expanding and getting larger aircraft but bmi are shrinking and replacing larger (321) aircraft with smaller (319) ones? They're even about to put a leased 757 on a route they nearly destroyed (MAN-IAD-MAN) before by dropping it. Surely they could've found a more suitable leased aircraft for a route that is served by a comfortable 3 cabin aircraft (330) with a fantastic service? How can a narrow body 757 compete? Will this kill the route once and for all? It probably looked a cheap option to the accountants without a second thought as to why people choose to fly bmi on this route. Most I believe would call it incompetence by the 'managers' This once great airline is now a mere shadow of its former self. Its survival down to its slots at Heathrow and nothing to do with 'shrewd management' as some like to claim. It is a market follower, not a market leader. Why are seemingly good profitable international routes dropped in favour of new low yield domestic ones? Nearly 50 pilots have left over the past few months, totally disillusioned, resulting in the majority of crews now flying captain/captain. Not an ideal situation and one not practised by many other airlines. I've never seen morale so low at any other airline but do the 'managers' care? Not in the slightest. They can always get new inexperienced guys at a lower cost to the company. What will that cost eventually be though? My money's on the fact that bmi will not exist in its present form in the next 18-24 months. It has no direction and needs new management that are go getting, with innovative ideas and understand marketing! More people know about baby than bmi and it's only been going a few years! Hell, even ATC call bmi aircraft 'baby' now! The rebranding from British Midland to bmi was an opportunity lost. What could've been a real new lease of life and the introduction of a new, modern brand, has turned out where people now wonder who the hell bmi are and only realise when you say "British Midland" When originally asked what the 'i' stood for, all the company could reply was "It does not stand for international" What an answer! (Clearly obvious though!)
Bring back Hogan! he had the right ideas but wasn't allowed by 'management' to implement them. He's turned Gulf Air around which can't have been easy as you'd have the cultural barrier to deal with too. Still, just a different kind of cultural barrier at bmi eh?
What are other peoples thoughts on all this? Am I wrong? I sure as hell seem to have the same thoughts on these matters as everyone else there. NT has brought a tiny bit more communication in to the equation and the management prescence in the crew room is more than of late, but they have nothing at all inspiring to say. They still give us no hope that there's a bright future and bmi will once again become a fun place to work where people want to spend the rest of their careers.
As for Fast Track,
JS, it's ok getting the pilots to do it but you should organise the rest of the equation too to make it work. Ground handlers, fuellers, dispatchers et al. They still turn up as they used to making it a farce. The crew have to stand on the seats to brief now, not ideal is it? If implemented properly we could also go back to a 45 minute report at Heathrow, now that'd make better use of manpower!
Anyway, enough ranting, and yes if I don't like it I can always vote with my feet. I intend to as things seem to go from bad to worse! Such a shame.
