BMI
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whilst I can understand the point-to-point traffic not giving the yields it once did, I am very surprised that given the lack of alternate connectivity to other star hubs (apart from a once daily ERJ135 to CPH), STAR are now basically abandoning service to one of the UKs largest cities and urban areas!
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Beijing
Age: 42
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BMI has announced that it is suspending flights between Glasgow and Heathrow.
The airline said "a number of employees" are at risk of redundancy following the decision to withdraw its seven daily flights from March 27.
The firm blamed an increase in BAA charges for domestic passengers, which it said makes the loss-making route "unsustainable".
Coupled with the cost of an additional regulator fee, the airline said the charges being imposed have increased from £13 per passenger to £22.
however they are expanding else where:
A "stronger focus" will be put on international routes. The decision to suspend the route coincides with the announcement of new routes from Heathrow to Bergen and Stavanger in Norway, and to Casablanca and Marrakech in Morocco for summer.
The airline said "a number of employees" are at risk of redundancy following the decision to withdraw its seven daily flights from March 27.
The firm blamed an increase in BAA charges for domestic passengers, which it said makes the loss-making route "unsustainable".
Coupled with the cost of an additional regulator fee, the airline said the charges being imposed have increased from £13 per passenger to £22.
however they are expanding else where:
A "stronger focus" will be put on international routes. The decision to suspend the route coincides with the announcement of new routes from Heathrow to Bergen and Stavanger in Norway, and to Casablanca and Marrakech in Morocco for summer.
Oh well, quite a few posters on this forum have been pretty wrong in saying that this would never happen.
Glasgow again suffers. Competition on its main trunk route has gone and BA hold the monopoly and lets see how long it takes for a sharp increase in prices especially for business travel.
Did BMI do enough to make the most of this route? Maybe they did but it is now all heresay...but a loss of amillion a month is just ridiculous.
Up to 7 flights a day loss with connections is a major loss. While many have said that SA connections via FRA or whatever may start from GLA I think that is just wishful thinking. Looks as if that "dead looking" airport - well certainly was last 3 times I have passed through it - is set for another fall.
Nivsy
Glasgow again suffers. Competition on its main trunk route has gone and BA hold the monopoly and lets see how long it takes for a sharp increase in prices especially for business travel.
Did BMI do enough to make the most of this route? Maybe they did but it is now all heresay...but a loss of amillion a month is just ridiculous.
Up to 7 flights a day loss with connections is a major loss. While many have said that SA connections via FRA or whatever may start from GLA I think that is just wishful thinking. Looks as if that "dead looking" airport - well certainly was last 3 times I have passed through it - is set for another fall.
Nivsy
Is US not just seasonal?
The big problem as I see it is the costs and frequency even for North America.
Recent checks that I have doneissometimes an eye opener looking at the price going state side from GLA compared to routing via LHR. Also its one a dayfrom GLA - make the most of it - with your chosen carrier.
Onward connections US side means identifying your bags etc on arrival state side.....going via LHR - checked in to final destination without seeing it again - unless ofcourse having to connect again domestically states side but the choice of US destinations from LHR are high.
It is just all a pain for Scottish travellers....
The big problem as I see it is the costs and frequency even for North America.
Recent checks that I have doneissometimes an eye opener looking at the price going state side from GLA compared to routing via LHR. Also its one a dayfrom GLA - make the most of it - with your chosen carrier.
Onward connections US side means identifying your bags etc on arrival state side.....going via LHR - checked in to final destination without seeing it again - unless ofcourse having to connect again domestically states side but the choice of US destinations from LHR are high.
It is just all a pain for Scottish travellers....
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Midland (G)One November Lima
The US Airways and United nee Continental services are not really pushed as STAR connections. Indeed I wonder if Air Canada might re-consider a seasonal return now Zoom has gone and bmi is no longer an option. I doubt BA will hike fares too high, the idea that the Shuttle is a cash cow seems unlikely nowadays. They keep cutting frequency and shifting capacity to LCY. I maintain that punting non connecting traffic into LCY was one of the drivers that brought perenial loss maker GLA-LCY back for a second try with BA after failing with Air UK and ScotAirways.
So....Edinburgh? How safe can you be? Can we really say that GLA loses quite that much whereas EDI is profitable?
I think we will see Midland Glasgow close as a handling concern with baby moving over to Menzies or Servisair alongwith Emirates. As to GLA-CPH and LBA, with MAN being axed, I think we might see the whole thing shut. GLA-LBA has seen traffic collapse and CPH is served nicely from EDI.
I never thought I'd see this day.
So....Edinburgh? How safe can you be? Can we really say that GLA loses quite that much whereas EDI is profitable?
I think we will see Midland Glasgow close as a handling concern with baby moving over to Menzies or Servisair alongwith Emirates. As to GLA-CPH and LBA, with MAN being axed, I think we might see the whole thing shut. GLA-LBA has seen traffic collapse and CPH is served nicely from EDI.
I never thought I'd see this day.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
easyJet with Gates 24-26 would be a good bet, they're not afraid of air bridges and there's loads of room. Shift Baby across to the old international pier.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another nail in the coffin for bmi at GLA?
So: first BD's GLA-MAN was gone, now BD's GLA-LHR is shut down...that just leaves GLA-LBA and GLA-CPH (same aircraft)...but for how much longer?
It seems one GLA-based regional operator has today applied for slots in LBA for a 3x daily GLA-LBA operation. If that does go ahead, and given the relative strength of the brand under which it would operate...can't help but feel that it could mean the end for BD-branded operations (not baby) in GLA in the not-too-distant future?
It seems one GLA-based regional operator has today applied for slots in LBA for a 3x daily GLA-LBA operation. If that does go ahead, and given the relative strength of the brand under which it would operate...can't help but feel that it could mean the end for BD-branded operations (not baby) in GLA in the not-too-distant future?
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LBA-GLA was actually a good win for Loganair on the SD360 in 1990 when Capital went bust. The route was then "appropriated" shall we say, by BD when the bulk of LC was stripped and gifted to Manx in 1994!! It used to be operated on the Midland ATPs of all things then onto the SF340 and the ERJ-145. How ironic that Loganair have rebuilt to where they were back in those days.
Loganair would actually be a better bet for turning a profit on the route I think, assuming this pans out.
Loganair would actually be a better bet for turning a profit on the route I think, assuming this pans out.
I do wonder how much of the fare on through Star Alliance carrier tickets from overseas, through Heathrow, to Glasgow actually ends up with BMI. If the way the proportion is divided up leads to BMI not getting much of the revenue, that's a real issue for them. BA can eat this in their overall figures and write it off to supporting their long haul revenue; BMI can't do this.
The costs of repatriating all the mishandled connecting bags through Heathrow heading for Glasgow, which is borne by the delivering carrier into the final destination despite many of the cockups happening on the inbound to Heathrow side, must also be a significant revenue eater.
The costs of repatriating all the mishandled connecting bags through Heathrow heading for Glasgow, which is borne by the delivering carrier into the final destination despite many of the cockups happening on the inbound to Heathrow side, must also be a significant revenue eater.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I wonder what *A connecting carriers at LHR think of this? In an article last week WP-S appeared to suggest that BD had a *A duty to supply a minimum connecting service on LHR-GLA, but this appears to have been quickly forgotten (if it existed?). Does anyone know waht proportion of pax on BD GLA-LHR were connecting?
There must have been some *A carriers that received decent feed from GLA-LHR? AC perhaps?
There must have been some *A carriers that received decent feed from GLA-LHR? AC perhaps?
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Europe
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just got this from bmi in the last 10 minutes.
We are sorry to tell you that we have regrettably taken the decision to suspend our seven daily flights between London Heathrow and Glasgow from 27 March 2011. The recently announced increases by BAA in domestic passenger charges at London Heathrow by more than 50% effective 1 April 2011, will make the already loss making route between London Heathrow and Glasgow unsustainable for us.
Where is the know-all who claimed on here that this was not going to happen and berating those who said it would?
We are sorry to tell you that we have regrettably taken the decision to suspend our seven daily flights between London Heathrow and Glasgow from 27 March 2011. The recently announced increases by BAA in domestic passenger charges at London Heathrow by more than 50% effective 1 April 2011, will make the already loss making route between London Heathrow and Glasgow unsustainable for us.
Where is the know-all who claimed on here that this was not going to happen and berating those who said it would?
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 2,782
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
GLA LHR
Well the poster of Jan10th was correct & right, and as it was his 1st post he is off to a flying start, excuse the pun.
How things have changes what was probably bmi's flagship route is closing. I was reading in the Airline of Britain book recently that 'British Midland have aquired the DC9 to meet the needs of the busy LHR Teesside route', and on reflection how much different it all looks now, MME, LBA, GLA all closing.
with the cost of the fees as they put it being a big part of it, it is clear that domestic flying is so challenged by better rail connections etc. At this rate how long can LHR MAN last. EDI may be a bit better on yield though LCY has very high frequency to EDI and this may be an indicator that business traffic is not as good on LHR EDI as before and WX certainly offering much better value these days (and losing alot of money)!
It cannot be economic to operate on the MAN route if so many flights are by EMB? Yeah if loads are poor it's probably cheaper to fly EMB but all in all the route is in tatters if it cannot sustain an Airbus.
Also surprised that the summer routes from LHR that compliment the scandinavian routes ie Marrakesh and Casablanca are being launched. Alicante was the same and it didnt last, but perhaps bmi see connecting traffic opportunities.
EI-BUD
How things have changes what was probably bmi's flagship route is closing. I was reading in the Airline of Britain book recently that 'British Midland have aquired the DC9 to meet the needs of the busy LHR Teesside route', and on reflection how much different it all looks now, MME, LBA, GLA all closing.
with the cost of the fees as they put it being a big part of it, it is clear that domestic flying is so challenged by better rail connections etc. At this rate how long can LHR MAN last. EDI may be a bit better on yield though LCY has very high frequency to EDI and this may be an indicator that business traffic is not as good on LHR EDI as before and WX certainly offering much better value these days (and losing alot of money)!
It cannot be economic to operate on the MAN route if so many flights are by EMB? Yeah if loads are poor it's probably cheaper to fly EMB but all in all the route is in tatters if it cannot sustain an Airbus.
Also surprised that the summer routes from LHR that compliment the scandinavian routes ie Marrakesh and Casablanca are being launched. Alicante was the same and it didnt last, but perhaps bmi see connecting traffic opportunities.
EI-BUD
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: belgium
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How likely is a launch of a 3 times daily service between GLA and BRU or FRA now, possibly operated by BD?
Going from 7 daily to nothing is quite radical and IMHO there must be sufficient connecting traffic from GLA to fill at least 3 feeding flights to one of the LH hubs on the continent.
It really doesn't matter much to pax if their route is GLA-LHR-MXP or GLA-BRU/FRA-MXP, just to name one exemple....
Going from 7 daily to nothing is quite radical and IMHO there must be sufficient connecting traffic from GLA to fill at least 3 feeding flights to one of the LH hubs on the continent.
It really doesn't matter much to pax if their route is GLA-LHR-MXP or GLA-BRU/FRA-MXP, just to name one exemple....
Last edited by SN146; 1st Feb 2011 at 11:13.
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Barton Upon Humber
Posts: 1,984
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also surprised that the summer routes from LHR that compliment the scandinavian routes ie Marrakesh and Casablanca are being launched. Alicante was the same and it didnt last, but perhaps bmi see connecting traffic opportunities.