EAST MIDLANDS - 4

[Lite]

Originally Posted by emababy

bmibabyfc if you cant deal with diverts and extra pax than maybe the aviation industry is not for you its part and parcel of working in the industry!

Sorry, but I don't know if you have any passenger services experience, however having to deal with a lot of diverted aircraft is a very stressful experience for all involved - whether you're one of the passengers who aren't where they want to be, or one of the staff trying to deal with the aforementioned pax, on top of all the ones you've been expecting. With already minimum staff numbers, a day full of diversions is always a headache, which nobody wants, and is different from a challenge. There's more to diversions than being able to see aircraft that don't usually fly into your local you know, somebody has to deal with the people inside!

[bmibabyfc]

You know Lite i couldnt have put it better myself son......

fao emababy - i hate diverts for a reason, pax panic and its very hard work trying to organise everyone. Very enjoyable though once all over as i look back and smile.

But as lite mentioned its very stressful and by your comments i guess your not in the aviation industry ?

[SAM-EMA]

Okay, we know that diversions are a hassle, but is there anything more important to talk about, like the remaining WW a/c, any progress with the new arrivals area and pier, and any new FR announcements etc.

Regards SAM-EMA

[Fried_Chicken]

Originally Posted by Lite

Terminal work coming along nicely

The steel framework hasn't been blown away then in the recent gusts

FC

[Aerial Anarchist]

EMA -Those sad money grabbing managers.

Since the crazy security arrangements were introduced last year EMA has been handing to passenger’s plastic bags prior to the security check area. Today I note that they have installed a vending machine that charges you 50pence ( cost wholesale 5p?) to obtain the required plastic bag. Shame on you Penny! Despite the recent award (won by a level of spin that even new Labour would be proud of!) the airport produces one of the worst passenger experiences in the UK- the 200metre queue for security is famous across the industry.
Now they expect you to shell out 50p for the coveted bag as you arrive at security, not 100mtrs before but within 5 meters as the unsuspecting passengers descend into the awful security grotto.
Sooner or later the paying public will "snap back" at what an awful experience air travel now is and the greed of EMA who are well known for such poor forward planning in facilities and shortsightedness will be part of that horrible legacy.
p.s. - once upon a time you could drop off and collect pax outside the terminal, not anymore, now you must enter the EMA run car park and the sensible free time allowance has been shortened to 10 minutes. Par for the course for this money grabbing faceless operation.It won't be the tree-hugging environment campaigners that destroy air travel it will be the yellow jacketed airport managers like Mrs P.C and other greedy puppets of MAN Mega airport.com!

[bmibaby.com]

Originally Posted by Aerial Anarchist

p.s. - once upon a time you could drop off and collect pax outside the terminal, not anymore, now you must enter the EMA run car park and the sensible free time allowance has been shortened to 10 minutes. Par for the course for this money grabbing faceless operation.It won't be the tree-hugging environment campaigners that destroy air travel it will be the yellow jacketed airport managers like Mrs P.C and other greedy puppets of MAN Mega airport.com!

I agree with the sentiments that you raise, East Midlands Airport always prided itself with the old tag-line "your easy midlands airport" with a real sense of it being a local, friendly airport. Since it's been taken over by MAG, whilst we have seen a substantial growth in traffic (admittedly this was predicted for whoever the owners would have been) we have seen a real deterioration in terms of the airport's public face. Besides the generic MAG brand, there has been the name debacle, total chopping & changing of the terminal building with portakabin like extensions, the car park scenario mentioned earlier - it's all just a little bland & gouging.

On the positive side, the airport still does a considerable amount of work within the communities that it serves, they've spent a fortune on improving local public transport to/from the airport and the name now encompasses the region better.

[oliema]

CO at EMA

Im sure i have just over heard someone about Continental at East Midlands Airport. Not sure when or if they are flying there soon or what. anyone got any information. It would be intresting as I know quite a few people from Derby that use there BHX to Newark route but they reduced it back to 1 a day. So maybe an expansion for EMA?

[barrowboyblue!]

50p for a plaggy bag - didn't know NEMA .. sorry EMA were that strapped for cash !!!- what a disgrace!! (I'll sell you one for 45!!!) -

Apologies for my earlier incorrect remark re- the plaggy bags-
After flying out the other day I see you actually get TWO bags for the price of 50p. Apologies to all concerned - a bargain in anyones book!

bbb

[almost professional]

I have mentioned it before but it is not EMA who stopped the drop off/pick up outside the terminal but the DEFT as part of the security crackdown-also whilst not commenting on the cost of said bag, the airport did provide them for the first few months of the restrictions, when passengers may not have been aware, but why should that carry on for ever-its surely not our job to provide these any more than it is to provide other items required for travel!

[barrowboyblue!]

quite right ap...
but it was the airport the cut the pick up/let down to 10mins-

and quite right on your second point too-
was very charitable EMA did provide small clear plastic bags for Joe public free of charge for that time -
(what did that come out of the budget for -the next re-brand!)

and why don't you want to comment on the price??? a little embarrassed maybe

just simple stuff that can make our journey thru the airport much better.
bbb

[MonkeyB]

BMI Baby

Have they definitely still got another 733? They've promised it to everyone!

I heard that they're having trouble laying their hands on one...

MB

[bmibaby.com]

MonkeyB

An extra 737-300 has not been promised to anybody. The airline has laid out the bulk of the 2007 expansion programme going to BHX, any additional aircraft would go to the base most deserving of expansion commercially, be it because other routes are performing well, or because the airport authority have offered a good deal to base extra aircraft. I've not been told to think anything that alters the additional number of aircraft arriving this year.

Good news though to see bmi indeed has a weekend base A320 here for charters, I thought Air Malta was operating the entire XL programme, but appears that there's XL aircraft operating W-patterns & a bmi aircraft at the weekend. This ought to be good news for Menzies too, who otherwise would have been looking quiet.

[SAM-EMA]

bmibaby

So you mean, that there will not be any Air Malta a/c in, but there will be XL 737-800s (w-patterns) and BD 320s (weekends) instead. Will the BD a/c be the one that ops LBA in the week.

Thanks
SAM-EMA

[bmibaby.com]

SAM-EMA

No, the Air Malta Airbus 320 will stay as a week-long based unit at the airport, in addition to XL w-patterns (unsure of type though I'd presume the 737-800) and bmi A320 coming up from LHR (the LBA charter unit being unaffected.) bmi regional also operating the ERJ all Saturday on charter routes.

[oliema]

EMA

Is it true what people have been saying about ryanair having upto 9 aircraft based at east midlands by the end of 2007 . I mean yes they are a good airline but not even bmibaby can handle 9 aircraft and they are based there properly. Do you think bmibaby have got any other expansion at any other airports apart from BHX, doesnt seem like it

[bmibaby.com]

bmibaby had nine based aircraft at EMA for the winter 2002/3 season, though some of these aircraft were operating W-patterns with other bases, at that point I think it was just CWL. It was because bmibaby wanted to grow very quickly, taking over all of the British Midland routes and trying to launch new routes. Sadly few of the unestablished routes ever stuck, indeed today's route network is almost identical to that of British Midland in 2000, just increased frequencies, lower fares and Prague. So we've really gone full circle. Ryanair are the future of the airport in terms of shorthaul; they have the lowest costs, a strong balance sheet and are committed to growth. I don't know about nine aircraft, but certainly significant expansion is more likely to come from FR than WW, sadly.

[oliema]

Reply

Yes it is sad however Ryanair would attract thousends of people and then bmibaby fight back and try some how of getting there passengers. but that wouldnt work because Ryanair are so big. The only reason Ryanair have such cheap flights is because they dont fly to big airports e.g Bmibaby used to fly EMA to Bordeaux. Ryanair fly EMA to Begerac which is close but isn't as big and thats where they make there money. if only bmibaby did that thats when we would see expansion

[bmibaby.com]

oliema

Sorry, but I get the feeling that you're either a spotter or a casual observer, rather than somebody who is actually involved with the airport, which is in the direction in which we want to steer this thread, however I will answer some of the points you mention, as it's clear you have a passion for what goes on.

bmibaby would be on a suicide mission if they wanted to go head-to-head with Ryanair, the airline would rather tap into core routes where they can become the major low-cost airline, it's the reason bmibaby have largely abandoned their French network at EMA, and also dropped Dublin, as well as Murcia. If bmibaby were to expand at EMA, it would only be to major cities which lack a current service from the airport or region, rather than finding the small niches in which Ryanair with their extremely low cost base are able to specialise in. Just because baby haven't added any aircraft at EMA in a while, does not mean we're doing a bad job or that our business model is flawed. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see bmibaby with the most modern fleet of aircraft linking our bases with the major business & leisure centres of Europe, and had our management listened to us three years ago, we probably would be, but it's just not happening. bmibaby's future is either remaining in our niche as part of bmi, as an independent, or being taken over.

[Lite]

Originally Posted by bmibaby.com

This ought to be good news for Menzies too, who otherwise would have been looking quiet.

Servisair still really pull the shots at EMA in terms of size, contracts and general clout. Menzies do a good job by providing a quality service, usually thanks to a more incentivised workforce, but it seems to come at a cost, airlines don't seem willing to pay for their product. I've heard they tried to go after a lot of Servisair contracts over the winter (First Choice, Air Malta, Spanair), but have returned empty handed. I wonder if it would have been different had aviance or Swissport come to the airport in 2002?

[Binder]

BmiBaby,

How profitable is Bmibaby?

In 2005 the BMI group posted profit £10 million on turnover £ 869 million.
This includes BmiBaby. This is not spectucular! In your opinion, are Baby propping up the group or is it the other way round?


Binder