roblondon are you going mad? If you are seriously asking that question why not ask the same about the LBA-LHR? This has more competion from the railways than the MME-LHR. Also bmi must be makin a fortune on the route when you consider a business class ticket is costing more return than say a flight to the USA. Ok there are probably routes out of LHR that bmi could make more money on, but with all the high profile politicians in the area bmi would face questions, these politicians include Milburn, Blair and Hague.