The Changing Face of BMi
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'ManAtTheBack'
I could be wrong on this so feel free to correct me! I dont recall debonair having any of the following?:
Longhaul, a seperate low cost company, a regional company and membership of the Star Alliance which supplies steady interline pax!
bmi does and is, and they are all very successful!
Oh and dont believe debonair was around for 67 years!
They are just coming into line with the rest of the uk and trying to make the other 1/4 of the airline profitable again i wish them luck and think people should let them get on with it!
I could be wrong on this so feel free to correct me! I dont recall debonair having any of the following?:
Longhaul, a seperate low cost company, a regional company and membership of the Star Alliance which supplies steady interline pax!
bmi does and is, and they are all very successful!
Oh and dont believe debonair was around for 67 years!
They are just coming into line with the rest of the uk and trying to make the other 1/4 of the airline profitable again i wish them luck and think people should let them get on with it!
Last edited by MAVERICK 1; 24th May 2005 at 21:20.
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bmi will do well with this new business philosophy because they're going to start off with a relatively strong following of diamond club carriers that will continue to fly with the airline to earn miles. Most pax stay with one airline so they can make leisure trips or upgrade to business, and whilst I am sceptical of no more business class, I think a lot of the moves that are being made are long overdue.
It is now incredibly commonplace in the US "major" airlines for them to sell food in a product petnicknamed by crews at our Star Alliance partner United as BOB (Buy-On-Board). What United found, is that passengers would rather have is the choice to buy something of good quality & that they like, rather than being given a meal of poor quality, quantity & no choice! I have heard that we are to introduce a mixture of; cold meals, sandwiches, salads & snacks for purchase as well as soft drinks, tea/coffee & a full bar service (beer, wine & cocktails) on all flights. On breakfast flights & flights over two hours the rumour is hot food will be available too.
I think it would be better to establish the bmi brand nationwide. I like the little bmibirdies that bmi have been using in a couple of their ads. Like "tiny", they have a certain charm to them, and I think they would be excellent spokesanimals for the airline!
However, the question of should baby grow up & be merged back into mainline/regional is a tuffy!!! Like Tango at Air Canada & Ted at United, bmibaby is seen as a low-cost airline, and is as such the first port of call for many people who are looking for a cheap getaway. Perhaps, like Tango, it should just become a brand rather than an airline, a booking agent or ticket class, or perhaps the airline should be the focus of leisure routes.
Finally, bmi needs to sort the schedule out. Passengers will want a range of business & leisure destinations with at least two flights a day (one morning & one evening) and until they do this, as has been seen on the MAD route, people will go to airlines with greater market penetration. bmi could really benefit for the brand recognition baby now has in some markets (AGP/ALC/MJV) by moving into these cities ...
It is now incredibly commonplace in the US "major" airlines for them to sell food in a product petnicknamed by crews at our Star Alliance partner United as BOB (Buy-On-Board). What United found, is that passengers would rather have is the choice to buy something of good quality & that they like, rather than being given a meal of poor quality, quantity & no choice! I have heard that we are to introduce a mixture of; cold meals, sandwiches, salads & snacks for purchase as well as soft drinks, tea/coffee & a full bar service (beer, wine & cocktails) on all flights. On breakfast flights & flights over two hours the rumour is hot food will be available too.
I think it would be better to establish the bmi brand nationwide. I like the little bmibirdies that bmi have been using in a couple of their ads. Like "tiny", they have a certain charm to them, and I think they would be excellent spokesanimals for the airline!
However, the question of should baby grow up & be merged back into mainline/regional is a tuffy!!! Like Tango at Air Canada & Ted at United, bmibaby is seen as a low-cost airline, and is as such the first port of call for many people who are looking for a cheap getaway. Perhaps, like Tango, it should just become a brand rather than an airline, a booking agent or ticket class, or perhaps the airline should be the focus of leisure routes.
Finally, bmi needs to sort the schedule out. Passengers will want a range of business & leisure destinations with at least two flights a day (one morning & one evening) and until they do this, as has been seen on the MAD route, people will go to airlines with greater market penetration. bmi could really benefit for the brand recognition baby now has in some markets (AGP/ALC/MJV) by moving into these cities ...
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Maverick1
Is the short haul going to feed off and to long haul and star, or be a point to point low cost?
Is Diamond Club status membership going to be achievable of valuable on short haul or will it only work if flying with other airlines?
I am a fan of bmi, and wish them well. I also use their short haul premium service but feel alienated. The overall message is confusing and I'm not sure how alienating a segment of customers is helpful.
Is the short haul going to feed off and to long haul and star, or be a point to point low cost?
Is Diamond Club status membership going to be achievable of valuable on short haul or will it only work if flying with other airlines?
I am a fan of bmi, and wish them well. I also use their short haul premium service but feel alienated. The overall message is confusing and I'm not sure how alienating a segment of customers is helpful.
Lady Lexxington
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Manattheback, the shorthaul will still feed to longhaul, although the feeling amongst the ground staff is that it should be to star only. As far as we are aware points will still be earnable and I belive an e-mail will be communicated to all d/c members indue course re any changes in accurral procedures.
lexx.
lexx.
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ManAtTheBack
That i agree with the way they have released this is confusing but i have it on good authority that bmi will continue to operate as before in regards to diamond club members and points accural. The number of points maybe changed though but that will be communicated to the d/c holders in due course.
It is in no way going to be a point to point carrier, the network is still and will carry on to be designed to fit in with feeding its own flights ie longhaul and also to fit in with incoming star flights to carry the interline pax on.
You will still get your points for flying bmi and those points will vary just as before depending on which level of ticket you buy, if you buy a baby ticket i doubt you will get any points, but if you buy a standard bmi or a premium ticket you will get your points.
The simplist way to understand this change i think is you now pay for your food and drink (except business) and business class will only exist on 4 routes. Otherwise its a single class cabin with allocated seating.
That is probably the only visable change pax will notice. oh and maybe the fact that they will all be encouraged to use the ssd's (self service devices for check in)
If you imagine a virtual aircraft baby fares will be seated down the back standard bmi fares in the middle and premium fares at the front. The lounges will remain as before for the dimond club members, business and premium tickets as i understand it.
Hope that answers your question
That i agree with the way they have released this is confusing but i have it on good authority that bmi will continue to operate as before in regards to diamond club members and points accural. The number of points maybe changed though but that will be communicated to the d/c holders in due course.
It is in no way going to be a point to point carrier, the network is still and will carry on to be designed to fit in with feeding its own flights ie longhaul and also to fit in with incoming star flights to carry the interline pax on.
You will still get your points for flying bmi and those points will vary just as before depending on which level of ticket you buy, if you buy a baby ticket i doubt you will get any points, but if you buy a standard bmi or a premium ticket you will get your points.
The simplist way to understand this change i think is you now pay for your food and drink (except business) and business class will only exist on 4 routes. Otherwise its a single class cabin with allocated seating.
That is probably the only visable change pax will notice. oh and maybe the fact that they will all be encouraged to use the ssd's (self service devices for check in)
If you imagine a virtual aircraft baby fares will be seated down the back standard bmi fares in the middle and premium fares at the front. The lounges will remain as before for the dimond club members, business and premium tickets as i understand it.
Hope that answers your question
The face of short haul travel has changed forever over the past few years. With the number of passengers willing to pay a premium for a full service decreasing companies like BMI have to evolve in order to survive. We might not like the changes that have happened, but we also have to live in the real world and accept the inevitable.
BMI's biggest advantage is their holding of valuable slots from LHR. As the short haul services decrease over the coming years, they will be able to utilise these slots to have long haul services and no doubt provide multi-class services on these flights. Sounds like a good stratergy to me.
BMI's biggest advantage is their holding of valuable slots from LHR. As the short haul services decrease over the coming years, they will be able to utilise these slots to have long haul services and no doubt provide multi-class services on these flights. Sounds like a good stratergy to me.
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Low cost Taxes
A little calculation ... how low cost will BMI have to be to compensate for the taxes at Heathrow?
flyBMI.com : LHR-AMS-LHR: Taxes & charges: £50.40 return
easyjet.com: LGW-AMS-LGW: Taxes & charges: £10.00 return
(So 2 or more passengers travelling together, living 'next door to' Heathrow would actually be able to pay for a (cheap) minicab to Gatwick with the difference!)
(and before anybody suggests it, I have no financial or other interest in 'promoting' the boys&girls in orange)
flyBMI.com : LHR-AMS-LHR: Taxes & charges: £50.40 return
easyjet.com: LGW-AMS-LGW: Taxes & charges: £10.00 return
(So 2 or more passengers travelling together, living 'next door to' Heathrow would actually be able to pay for a (cheap) minicab to Gatwick with the difference!)
(and before anybody suggests it, I have no financial or other interest in 'promoting' the boys&girls in orange)
Uncle Pete
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A lot has been said about the business lounges on this thread but what seems to be forgotten that you can buy your way in on the internet travel sites for around £15, in my view money well spent.
Next, who want to hang around for two hours 'cos that's the latest to arrive at the airport according to the baby rules.
SO..... streamline check in, charge for the lounge and operate an all economy with decent legroom for all the punters, not just the chosen few who cough up £15 for the extra legroom seats on baby.
Just my Euro's worth!
MP
Next, who want to hang around for two hours 'cos that's the latest to arrive at the airport according to the baby rules.
SO..... streamline check in, charge for the lounge and operate an all economy with decent legroom for all the punters, not just the chosen few who cough up £15 for the extra legroom seats on baby.
Just my Euro's worth!
MP
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Halfwayback... true enough, both bmi and Virgin fly LHR-Mumbai; in the recent round of licence applications, both bid for 7 flights a week. At that point, they were indeed competing for the flights available.
However, both were awarded only part of the flights on offer. I don't know if they fly on different days, or if there is an overlap; in this case I believe it would be in a merged company's interest to continue to operate all seven flights. There is even an argument that the customer would benefit, by having flights every day of the week, without having to change carrier.
However, both were awarded only part of the flights on offer. I don't know if they fly on different days, or if there is an overlap; in this case I believe it would be in a merged company's interest to continue to operate all seven flights. There is even an argument that the customer would benefit, by having flights every day of the week, without having to change carrier.
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Maverick1
Thank you for that clarification, much better than Diamond Club's e-mail.
Its when they talk about "As a diamond club member you will see minor changes to the number of miles awarded on some of our lower fare types..." that questions arise. "Changes" usually means "cuts". I doubt that I will get business class points on an economy only route such as MAN - LHR.
I'll have to wait for further details of what flights will cost, and what I'll get, but the chances of me (and I'm sure others) moving to other carriers or forms of transport will increase, which will be a shame.
Thank you for that clarification, much better than Diamond Club's e-mail.
Its when they talk about "As a diamond club member you will see minor changes to the number of miles awarded on some of our lower fare types..." that questions arise. "Changes" usually means "cuts". I doubt that I will get business class points on an economy only route such as MAN - LHR.
I'll have to wait for further details of what flights will cost, and what I'll get, but the chances of me (and I'm sure others) moving to other carriers or forms of transport will increase, which will be a shame.
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Today's FT carries a very small article on easyJet's results and their plans.
With growth projected at 22%, 17% and 18% for the next 3 years and a fleet increase to 147 aircraft from 103, is it any surprise that bmi have to make changes?
easy are adding one route per month; bmi can do nothing and die in the face of competition from the loco's or can evolve. Their own effort at a loco doesn't go far enough. It may be too little too late for them but at least they are trying.
With growth projected at 22%, 17% and 18% for the next 3 years and a fleet increase to 147 aircraft from 103, is it any surprise that bmi have to make changes?
easy are adding one route per month; bmi can do nothing and die in the face of competition from the loco's or can evolve. Their own effort at a loco doesn't go far enough. It may be too little too late for them but at least they are trying.
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It maybe worth noting the thread from another topic about BA's plans.
Willy has annonced that he has plans to also make BA go low cost on shothaul (the Daily Mail 12 May 2005).
That will certainly put the cat amoungst the pigeons.
That makes everyone the same interms of service, it will be interesting to see what airlines will do next to attract customers!? Lets face it every major airline has their own loyal fan base!
Being a pilot these days is getting just too complicated. Does anyone know a number for a good plumbing school?
Willy has annonced that he has plans to also make BA go low cost on shothaul (the Daily Mail 12 May 2005).
That will certainly put the cat amoungst the pigeons.
That makes everyone the same interms of service, it will be interesting to see what airlines will do next to attract customers!? Lets face it every major airline has their own loyal fan base!
Being a pilot these days is getting just too complicated. Does anyone know a number for a good plumbing school?
Too mean to buy a long personal title
MAVERICK 1: Willy has annonced that he has plans to also make BA go low cost on shothaul (the Daily Mail 12 May 2005).
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I agree with you slim shady, something had to be done, but bmi are most definately on the back foot
They will now have to rely on filling up the seats from LHR, the long haul network and service is years behind bmi's main competitors, and 1 A330 a year for the next 3 years is hardly expansion when virgin are picking up 3 or so A340's a year and new routes to Dubai and Montego Bay in 2006 on top of their India expansion.
They will now have to rely on filling up the seats from LHR, the long haul network and service is years behind bmi's main competitors, and 1 A330 a year for the next 3 years is hardly expansion when virgin are picking up 3 or so A340's a year and new routes to Dubai and Montego Bay in 2006 on top of their India expansion.
