There are so many unanswered questions over the slot sale.
Why sell 6 slots? Probably a double benefit of dropping loss making slots and generating cash. Maybe DLH have slammed the chequebook shut. It is a bit odd though, the only thing of any worth to DLH and they make bmi sell it to stay afloat. What is the German for selling the family silver?
Why sell to IAG? Surely there would have been a STAR carrier interested which in a standalone deal would have made more sense for DLH; so surely there is a wider agenda? Are they reducing the size of an eventual deal with BA to get around regulatory and employment issues? Are they buying BA off to allow a VS tie up with STAR and bmi to progress?
The slot sale was not arranged last week, BA/IAG were aware of it a while back, yet they are still making noises about acquiring bmi, either they have been fibbing for the last few weeks, or they are still looking at it.
What do United/CAL and other STAR partners make of the potential loss of a huge number of connections from LHR? Losing bmi from STAR would generate a load of traffic into FRA that used to go to LHR but would also hand all the traffic that wanted to connect within the UK to One World; traffic from the west anyway. Traffic from the east could still go through LH group European hubs and onto the UK, maybe with bmiRegional or LH partners. Let's face it, LHR is a complete hole and bypassing it would enhance many travellers' experience but it would require quite a lot of marketing.
It's all rather intriguing, the music hasn't stopped yet and there will be other twists for sure. You do wonder if the bmi employees can be entirely focussed on the job in hand though.