Bmibaby
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: gate 67 JFK
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All aircraft will adopt the large Billboard logo as and when they are repainted, like wise the new tail design, although each will be different. The two aircraft that have had lease extensions are only short term until Sept/Oct at which point German aircraft may come in.
If CWL was to be closed, then it would have gone by now in the last cull.
Traffic loads for most airports are down because of the economy and not helped by the £ v Euro, but that probably won't last as the Euro is starting to look weak and sooner or later the economy will pick up.
The aircraft don't have the legs to go to Turkey or the donk's to go in and out of Chambrey
There is room in this market for other than Easy or Ryanair, lates wait and see what spring brings
If CWL was to be closed, then it would have gone by now in the last cull.
Traffic loads for most airports are down because of the economy and not helped by the £ v Euro, but that probably won't last as the Euro is starting to look weak and sooner or later the economy will pick up.
The aircraft don't have the legs to go to Turkey or the donk's to go in and out of Chambrey
There is room in this market for other than Easy or Ryanair, lates wait and see what spring brings
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
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Aircraft Bases summer 2010
EMA 7
BHX 3
CWL 2
MAN 2
14 in total which includes the two short-term lease extensions I believe.
If the two "saved" aircraft depart by winter I will imagine it will be
EMA 5 or 6 or BHX 2 or 3.
Some flight timings need adjusting at BHX to get the schedule down to three and I noticed earlier a frequency reduction for BHX - ALC in April
and May, which indicates some schedule changes are in progress.
Pete
BHX 3
CWL 2
MAN 2
14 in total which includes the two short-term lease extensions I believe.
If the two "saved" aircraft depart by winter I will imagine it will be
EMA 5 or 6 or BHX 2 or 3.
Some flight timings need adjusting at BHX to get the schedule down to three and I noticed earlier a frequency reduction for BHX - ALC in April
and May, which indicates some schedule changes are in progress.
Pete
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: slightly left of you
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I remember when i was a dispatcher for aviance in BHX there were at least 5 (to be honest i never really counted and oltonpete can correct me on the exact numbers) a/c based at brum. i honestly thought that the place would be the last place to go down to 2 or 3 a/c. I really thought that baby had bhx sown up (summer 2007). The company really could have made a killing at BHX and EMA but the larger powers that be just never seemed interested and so BE and FR sowed up the scheduled routes and MON, TCX and TOM took the charter work. I remember when stands 57, 58, 59 60 and 61 were the designated baby stands. Now i have no idea as i havn't been to brum in 3 years but guessing they're languishing on remotes.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Warwickshire
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cortilla - I think in 2007 it might have been 7 based Baby a/c at BHX? I totally agree with you, Baby could have made a killing at BHX but alas now remain simply as a big lost opportunity. The arrival of FR seemed to be the start of the downfall then of course there have been major developments since with LH. FR in my opinion have not taken up the slack left by WW, they serve some of their sun routes but have shown no interest at all in city destinations, leaving a big hole in the BHX schedules.
As for actually seeing WW a/c at BHX again you are right - always on the remotes, at least when I have seen them
As for actually seeing WW a/c at BHX again you are right - always on the remotes, at least when I have seen them
Join Date: Jun 2000
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Bmibaby Recruiting!
Several crew that were made redundant by bmibaby on 2 February are now being recalled. The company are encouraged by forward bookings and with long flying days forecast it looks like they got rid of too many staff. Good news at last.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
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bhx
cortilla
Sorry for the delay, I think BHX managed 8 briefly in 2008 but 7 for most
of the last couple of summers.
Hudson Bays last post is interesting, as yes I had heard crews would be stretched but also some summer flights have been taken off sale per other posts such as MAN-PMI, BHX-BCN and EMA-ORK.
I believe non of these are due to the reduction in aircraft (except perhaps BHX), as the schedules were adjusted a while ago for this but certainly the MAN two and the BHX three units were tightly scheduled with several eight sector days for the craft. Good utilisation but only if you have the crew I suppose.
Still very disappointing to see BHX-BCN taken off sale, as Ryanair have
reduced Reus from 5 weekly to two weekly and Girona is only four weekly anyway.
Baby had a rough January at BHX other than the two Med routes and Amsterdam but with Spring Fair in the first week of Feb and now half-term I believe things have picked up and Nice has restarted.
Just wished they could have held on to Rome, Lisbon, Madrid (and now Barcelona), as loads were fine even year-round but obviously the figures didn't add up and I am sure it will also be pointed out that no other operator has picked up any of these routes still.
Pete
Sorry for the delay, I think BHX managed 8 briefly in 2008 but 7 for most
of the last couple of summers.
Hudson Bays last post is interesting, as yes I had heard crews would be stretched but also some summer flights have been taken off sale per other posts such as MAN-PMI, BHX-BCN and EMA-ORK.
I believe non of these are due to the reduction in aircraft (except perhaps BHX), as the schedules were adjusted a while ago for this but certainly the MAN two and the BHX three units were tightly scheduled with several eight sector days for the craft. Good utilisation but only if you have the crew I suppose.
Still very disappointing to see BHX-BCN taken off sale, as Ryanair have
reduced Reus from 5 weekly to two weekly and Girona is only four weekly anyway.
Baby had a rough January at BHX other than the two Med routes and Amsterdam but with Spring Fair in the first week of Feb and now half-term I believe things have picked up and Nice has restarted.
Just wished they could have held on to Rome, Lisbon, Madrid (and now Barcelona), as loads were fine even year-round but obviously the figures didn't add up and I am sure it will also be pointed out that no other operator has picked up any of these routes still.
Pete
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Bmibaby seem to have a major problem that doesn't effect most if not all it's competitors.
The problem is that they are a lo-cost subsidy of another airline and able to freely act to the situations as it would if it was a seperate entity. It seemed as if Bmibaby was 3rd in the pecking order after Bmi Regional and Bmi Mainline.
Many airlines such as Easyjet, Flybe, Ryanair all proceeded with rapid expansion while the economy was strong while Bmibaby was only able to take on extra handfull of aircraft.
Growth was always planned at CWL but as the money available for leasing more aircraft was limited they had to react to other airlines and move the planned aircraft to another base.
There are plenty of routes that BmiBaby have been forced to axe from Cardiff which would work and should still be operational but due to a limited 3 aircraft and now 2 they are forced to only save the routes that generate the most amount of profit.
As the economy recovers i hope that LH will provide BmiBaby with the money to allow new lease of aircraft for rapid expansion and maybe we will finally see that 4th aircraft at CWL we have been promised so many times.
The problem is that they are a lo-cost subsidy of another airline and able to freely act to the situations as it would if it was a seperate entity. It seemed as if Bmibaby was 3rd in the pecking order after Bmi Regional and Bmi Mainline.
Many airlines such as Easyjet, Flybe, Ryanair all proceeded with rapid expansion while the economy was strong while Bmibaby was only able to take on extra handfull of aircraft.
Growth was always planned at CWL but as the money available for leasing more aircraft was limited they had to react to other airlines and move the planned aircraft to another base.
There are plenty of routes that BmiBaby have been forced to axe from Cardiff which would work and should still be operational but due to a limited 3 aircraft and now 2 they are forced to only save the routes that generate the most amount of profit.
As the economy recovers i hope that LH will provide BmiBaby with the money to allow new lease of aircraft for rapid expansion and maybe we will finally see that 4th aircraft at CWL we have been promised so many times.
Join Date: Jun 2000
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bmibaby website
Is it me or is bmibaby's web-site including the booking engine aload of rubbish?
I find it very unfriendly to use and a lot of flights they are advertising just do not exist.
If I was a potential passenger I just wouldn't be bothered with it. In my opinion the I.T. department needs to sort this out promto.
I find it very unfriendly to use and a lot of flights they are advertising just do not exist.
If I was a potential passenger I just wouldn't be bothered with it. In my opinion the I.T. department needs to sort this out promto.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: South Wales
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Agree totally
TOM dropping the Loco market ex CWL should have been a driver for them to do so.
But they went for BHX - poor management me thinks
TOM dropping the Loco market ex CWL should have been a driver for them to do so.
But they went for BHX - poor management me thinks
Tom pulling off City routes and reducing frequencies plus now TCX selling seats on some WW flights from CWL there is room for plenty of growth.
Join Date: May 2005
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The changing face of baby
Hi,
Given some of the recent discussions, I thought some of you might be interested to see a few pictures showing the development of bmibaby.
First up, here's the total number of movements at each base by year:
In terms of movements, EMA and CWL peaked in 2003, MAN in 2006 and BHX in 2007.
I had forgotten how ambitious bmibaby were at the beginning at EMA: In 2003 they were operating routes like Pisa, Bergamo and Munich (all daily at one stage), Dublin (3 a day) and Murcia (daily). In the first half of 2003, they had up to 27 departures a day from EMA, compared to about 17 last summer. Presumably that figure will go up a fair bit this summer.
BHX peaked at about 25 departures a day in the summer of 2007. Last summer they were down to about 13 or 14 a day.
Here's the same data as a stacked chart:
Here's the total number of movements at each base by month, so that you can see the seasonality:
And finally here's the same data as a stacked chart:
(data from ACARS / CAA for BHX and MAN)
Given some of the recent discussions, I thought some of you might be interested to see a few pictures showing the development of bmibaby.
First up, here's the total number of movements at each base by year:
In terms of movements, EMA and CWL peaked in 2003, MAN in 2006 and BHX in 2007.
I had forgotten how ambitious bmibaby were at the beginning at EMA: In 2003 they were operating routes like Pisa, Bergamo and Munich (all daily at one stage), Dublin (3 a day) and Murcia (daily). In the first half of 2003, they had up to 27 departures a day from EMA, compared to about 17 last summer. Presumably that figure will go up a fair bit this summer.
BHX peaked at about 25 departures a day in the summer of 2007. Last summer they were down to about 13 or 14 a day.
Here's the same data as a stacked chart:
Here's the total number of movements at each base by month, so that you can see the seasonality:
And finally here's the same data as a stacked chart:
(data from ACARS / CAA for BHX and MAN)
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Just got an email from bmibaby, my EMA - ORK flight in April has been cancelled, I phoned bmibaby and this is due to operational reasons, I am guessing, not enough aircraft?
Its not just April, no Cork flights are showing now on the website. Its naff! that I have to wait 28 days for my refund as well
Its not just April, no Cork flights are showing now on the website. Its naff! that I have to wait 28 days for my refund as well
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Europa
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Its not just April, no Cork flights are showing now on the website. Its naff! that I have to wait 28 days for my refund as well
I'm afraid that bmibaby deemed that you didn't deserve more than standard answer 17, which is bad form given they'll be earning interest on your money and giving nothing in return while you wait for your refund
Meanwhile Aer Lingus will be laughing all the way to the bank now that they'll have a monopoly on the Midlands to Munster market with their BHX - ORK service...
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Stockport
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Man-Bordeaux flights pulled?
Just received an Email from baby cancelling my flights to from MAN to Bordeux for 12th June. Email was titled flight cancellation but offered me flight times there and back on the same day.
I've contacted their call centre to obtain a refund. Presumably this means BOD has been knocked on the head. Really dissapointed as WW were a class act with some interesting destinations but unfortunately what with the 'unusable' website and determination to get rid of aircraft, this isn't the way to return to good health. I have a feeling that LH are only interested in germanwings and if you don't want to fly from Cologne they are not interested.
I've contacted their call centre to obtain a refund. Presumably this means BOD has been knocked on the head. Really dissapointed as WW were a class act with some interesting destinations but unfortunately what with the 'unusable' website and determination to get rid of aircraft, this isn't the way to return to good health. I have a feeling that LH are only interested in germanwings and if you don't want to fly from Cologne they are not interested.
Join Date: Jan 2007
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I hope it's scalling back during the recession and that when things start to pick up there will be new lower cost leases to aircraft, which may allow for more aircraft than before.
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Agreed, this website really can't be helping baby. I guess it had good intentions but it really has had a bad impact. I can't believe the amount of people to notice and to actually even comment about a website. I really cant understand why the airline has not done anything to sort it. They obviously don't even look at their own website, the largest income of business to any low fare airline! Their previous website must have been one of the easiest and fastest airline booking sites in the industry. Don't fix what is not broken comes to mind...