bmi need West bound long haul services
More so than flybe? Why do you say this?
If UNITED can't make money on LHR-JFK what makes you think BMI ever stood a chance? London - US is one of the most competitive markets in the world, with everyone from BA to Kuwait Airways fighting for traffic. Their long haul product out of MAN was good but couldn't sustain profitability high enough to make it worth the candle.(According to BMI, there is also a case for arguing they thought they could just make more at LHR, er wrong again chaps)
There is
*NO*way BMI could sustain the amount of start up losses required to get into the London-US market, coupled to the fact they have no feed in the US. BA have AA, STAR partners UA and US have their own hubs and operations and are not going to help out BMI to undermine their own LHR operations. As VS have found out, unless you have feed at either end or are a class above the competion, you're in danger.