BMI
Join Date: May 2011
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Sure - but not so many people would travel to/via Doha or Amsterdam if it weren't for the airlines based there who have a strong hub/spoke there. If BMI is in the alliance system, which it is, and maintains links with LH etc - then it could quite easily make a BHX system work, me thinks.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: LHR
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LH may have a very talented management team, but they have not deployed them at bmi. If LH had been committed to bmi they would have immediately instigated an overhaul of its revenue management, website, call centre, brand positioning, marketing/comms.
And regarding its slots. bmi may have the second largest holding but they're not that lucrative. BA estimates only a third are suitable for long haul ops.
And regarding its slots. bmi may have the second largest holding but they're not that lucrative. BA estimates only a third are suitable for long haul ops.
Join Date: Jan 2008
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'BA Estimates' - these are for BA uses. But sell them to MULTIPLE long haul guys, they can soon become all useful for long haul without much issue.
Now there's one airline with a substantial portfolio of slots at LHR that has the scale of operations to absorb bmi slots and rejig its schedules to make use of almost all of them.
Join Date: Oct 2002
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As BMI group is now on the open market it will the first chance many airlines will have to look at its books.Only then will potential bidders start to emerge.
When BA let BMED go to the opposition it was obvious there was nothing in it for them.
When BA let BMED go to the opposition it was obvious there was nothing in it for them.
I think all would agree that BA both needs and wants to be the major beneficiary of the sale of BMI however that is achieved. The BMI situation has been brewing for many months. BA has had plenty of time to consider its options in the face of a range of eventualities. It will surely know how much it is prepared to pay for the whole or the parts and because the outcome is more critical to BA than other operator it is likely to be ready to pay a high price if that is the way to achieving its aim.
It is a convenient fiction for BA to let it be known it is "only interested in the slots."
It is a convenient fiction for BA to let it be known it is "only interested in the slots."
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Lufthansa has opened BMI's books before, 2 years ago and had several airlines look at them, but no-one would offer what Lufty wanted. It would be interesting to see if they can now get better a offer.
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: LHR
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BA does only want our slots, there are many of us at bmi who realise this, and many who are rather hopefully living in the clouds and expect to be integrated. You can't sell slots for direct payment, true, however there are ways and means to swap slots and transfer slots in exchange for payment elsewhere, so if BA want to there are ways they can hang about to grab the slots as we sink under the sand 
The sad thing is that (baring UK & Ireland/HAJ) we offer a BETTER product than BA these days BUT our public assosciation with Baby confuses people and our marketing and branding is abismal and has been for so long that I fear the damage is too deep. e.g. we give economy pax a hot wrap all day on European flights while BA give a cold sarni up till 10am and then a cookie or bag of snacks for the rest of the day. In business we also give our business pax a choice of two hot meals, a dessert and a starter when BA are offering Club Europe pax a cold salad/plate on the vast majority of similar flights.
One last note, please remember that in amongst all of the speculation and 'excitment' about the outcome of this sorry state of affairs...
...bmi consists of many hard working and dedicated people at the coal face, who have done all that is asked of them and more and now find themselves with very uncertain futures throught no fault of their own. Please do discuss and speculate, that is after the point of pprune, but please do have some consideration as these are people's livelihoods you are discussing at a time when there are very few opportunities elsewhere.
The sad thing is that (baring UK & Ireland/HAJ) we offer a BETTER product than BA these days BUT our public assosciation with Baby confuses people and our marketing and branding is abismal and has been for so long that I fear the damage is too deep. e.g. we give economy pax a hot wrap all day on European flights while BA give a cold sarni up till 10am and then a cookie or bag of snacks for the rest of the day. In business we also give our business pax a choice of two hot meals, a dessert and a starter when BA are offering Club Europe pax a cold salad/plate on the vast majority of similar flights.
One last note, please remember that in amongst all of the speculation and 'excitment' about the outcome of this sorry state of affairs...
...bmi consists of many hard working and dedicated people at the coal face, who have done all that is asked of them and more and now find themselves with very uncertain futures throught no fault of their own. Please do discuss and speculate, that is after the point of pprune, but please do have some consideration as these are people's livelihoods you are discussing at a time when there are very few opportunities elsewhere.
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: London
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Transavia
A mate of mine heard a rumour that Transavia were looking to get back into the UK market and would consider buying up baby.
My view is this news is abit out of the blue and cant seen it happening. Is all speculation
My view is this news is abit out of the blue and cant seen it happening. Is all speculation
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: UK sometimes
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Has anyone considered that AF/KLM might be interested? AF are keen to improve their UK presence, gaining LHR slots would be a big bonus and it would be another one over Lufty. Whether it would be possible for AF to buy bmi direct from LH is another question....
Join Date: Aug 2002
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AF are keen to improve their UK presence,
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: UK
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Quote from Facelookbovverd
"does it's pilots really need or want a full English breakfast on a short domestic flight, that if regional fly the route and a given day don't get it?"
Can you tell me the point of this crass, out of context swipe at BMI Mainline pilots? - some axe to grind there?
P.S. Love the classy handle !
"does it's pilots really need or want a full English breakfast on a short domestic flight, that if regional fly the route and a given day don't get it?"
Can you tell me the point of this crass, out of context swipe at BMI Mainline pilots? - some axe to grind there?
P.S. Love the classy handle !
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: sussex
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The on board service offerd by BMI is excellent but if you can't put bums on seats paying a price where you can at least break even your never going to stay in business.
People have long said they have no idea what the business plan is and i think there lies the problem.
People have long said they have no idea what the business plan is and i think there lies the problem.
Join Date: Mar 2009
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facelookbovvered
Mate, if the only thing you can come up with is breakfast's, then stay out of it.
Ryanair and Easyjet don't operate from LHR, it's not a comparison.
(I wonder about some people, I really do.........)
Ryanair and Easyjet don't operate from LHR, it's not a comparison.
(I wonder about some people, I really do.........)
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Originally Posted by ayebmi
The sad thing is that (baring UK & Ireland/HAJ) we offer a BETTER product than BA these days BUT our public assosciation with Baby confuses people and our marketing and branding is abismal and has been for so long
There are some revenue management issues that compound problems too; especailly on the Heathrow Dublin route!
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Do LH seriously think that they can 'sell' BMI? I struggle to see it myself.
In the past 13yrs, (according to another site) the largest annual profit that BMI made was £29.6million in 2006 however, the last 3.5yrs have not been kind. In 2008, losses topped £153.9 millions, in 2009 losses topped £190.6 million. Last year they lost £124.5 million and in the first 6 months of 2011 losses have hit £108.5. So in 3.5yrs, BMI have lost a staggering £731.4 million
The rub is this, BMI would need to have 25 consecutive years of their highest grossing year (2006) simply to repay the losses amassed over the last 3.5yrs.
Whilst I think it possible that LH may find someone to take BMI, I am reminded of the fact that when Flybe took BAConnect (losing circa £30million per year) from BA, they did so for a token £1, and a gift of approx £155 million from BA to ease the turnaround of the business.
Personally, I think it will be LH digging deep into their pockets whether they sell it or not!
In the past 13yrs, (according to another site) the largest annual profit that BMI made was £29.6million in 2006 however, the last 3.5yrs have not been kind. In 2008, losses topped £153.9 millions, in 2009 losses topped £190.6 million. Last year they lost £124.5 million and in the first 6 months of 2011 losses have hit £108.5. So in 3.5yrs, BMI have lost a staggering £731.4 million
The rub is this, BMI would need to have 25 consecutive years of their highest grossing year (2006) simply to repay the losses amassed over the last 3.5yrs.
Whilst I think it possible that LH may find someone to take BMI, I am reminded of the fact that when Flybe took BAConnect (losing circa £30million per year) from BA, they did so for a token £1, and a gift of approx £155 million from BA to ease the turnaround of the business.
Personally, I think it will be LH digging deep into their pockets whether they sell it or not!
Last edited by JobsaGoodun; 22nd Sep 2011 at 20:48.