Gents,
The reason for yesterday's redundancy announcements (23 pilots) are:
- BHX was used as the base for most city break route develop. These routes can take a 2 or 3 years to become reasonably profitable, and the company has decided that it cannot wait that long in the current climate.
- 3 (more like 2½) aircraft will be taken out of BHX (3 leases will not be renewed over next 3 months). This accounts for the 23 pilots (+43 cabin crew). In the past, the company would absorb these extra crews short term, and usually with natural wastage ..etc.. it was time to recruit again by the summer schedule. As we all know, there is no movement in the market at present, so the company decided it couldn't afford to carry the extra cost this time.
It apears that bmibaby does have a future ... 2008/2009 was a good year (even with the fuel crisis), and 2010 is already looking good.
bmi like many other airlines is cocooning itself against excess costs while this storm continues to blow, with the intention of being more than just viable when the sun comes out again.
Any airline (including that one) who says they are making lots of money at present are clearly talking out their dump valve ... the next 2 years in this industry is about survival only ...