Bmibaby
Join Date: Mar 2007
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I don't know which, if any, airport is talking to BMIBaby but being "currently interested" is a whole lot different to concluding a deal.
The thing that has surprised me has been the way Baby have been announcing new routes while the sale process is going on, committing future owners to things they may not want.
The thing that has surprised me has been the way Baby have been announcing new routes while the sale process is going on, committing future owners to things they may not want.
Join Date: Nov 2011
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I think the reason they are launching new routes is in a way a means of showing a viable brand and business a going concern rather than a dying duck. It also shows the consumer they are alive and well and keeps them front of mind marketing wise.
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Mart901
Baby is being sold as a going concern and you can't just sit around twiddling your thumbs trying to second guess what the new owner might want, but given that it seems it's not another airline that's buying them then the business goes on including repainting aircraft, web updates, new routes, the brand still need promoting, so no not a dying duck.
Join Date: Mar 2000
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Agreed. Until the company is actually bought, then to do anything other than run the company properly is madness. Unfortunately I have seen a lot of people being paralysed within bmi recently (not in Baby I have to add) when it comes to decision making and forward planning.
Which is very stupid, it has to be business as usual until a sale is agreed and actually takes place.
Which is very stupid, it has to be business as usual until a sale is agreed and actually takes place.
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Say again slowly
I think you are spot when you say " a lot of people being paralysed within bmi recently (not in Baby I have to add)" but i think that is understandable, baby has been an unwanted child by many in bmi for years now so where as people in baby are looking forward to the chance of a future, that hopefully will be with a parent that wants it, bmi staffers meanwhile have no real idea of what awaits and it will probably very different if it under IAG or VS
Join Date: Nov 2006
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but given that it seems it's not another airline that's buying them then the business goes on including repainting aircraft, web updates, new routes, the brand still need promoting, so no not a dying duck
I do admire your passion for bmibaby but I think it is becoming an increasing hard sell even to your fellow 'pprune' people, no strategy, small fleet, old planes, uncertainty over the future of mainline, no point of difference (outside of EMA in my view), BHD base not delivering the goods e.g. poor performance of well established STN route, axing of MAN, CWL and diabolical performance of AMS route when many concerned said that BHD is the airport everybody wants to fly from, but strangely not from AMS (and many others where BFS sees the lions share of the passengers).
Can I also ask what does 'good forward bookings' mean by your definition, 25 passengers booked on some flights prior to route launch date?? Please do explain...
Merry Christmas to one and all on the forum.
EI-BUD
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Are there any credible explanations why anyone would want to buy bmibaby? 
Ancient fleet, presented at least eight years too late to the market and at the very least ten times times too small to even begin to fend off any competition from the big sharks. Why would anyone volunteer for guaranteed financial suicide?
More to the point of this forum, why would any current bmibaby pilot hang around, only to suffer the inevitable in the near future, whether there's a buyer or not?
Ancient fleet, presented at least eight years too late to the market and at the very least ten times times too small to even begin to fend off any competition from the big sharks. Why would anyone volunteer for guaranteed financial suicide?
More to the point of this forum, why would any current bmibaby pilot hang around, only to suffer the inevitable in the near future, whether there's a buyer or not?
Join Date: Feb 2001
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EI BUD
I think we all agree that a sale to any airline is highly unlike, as ACbus says why would any airline buy them given the small size old fleet, which is leased, it would only make sense only if you wanted a 100 or so well trained pilots or to take baby out of the market, so a sale to another airline was always unlikely anyway.
The one thing baby does have is a brand and yes that is Midlands based and despite it's detractors it is of value.....the who will have to wait because there's more than one suitor and yes all of this is in the public domain and I'm not privy to what the bmi board and Lufthansa may or may not decide.
Let's see what 2012 brings
The one thing baby does have is a brand and yes that is Midlands based and despite it's detractors it is of value.....the who will have to wait because there's more than one suitor and yes all of this is in the public domain and I'm not privy to what the bmi board and Lufthansa may or may not decide.
Let's see what 2012 brings
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Does anyone know do WW still have 500 series left and if so where are they based?
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Cheers Cazza_fly. I thought there was 2, and indeed never seen them in BHX or BHD. I did wonder if they would position them in BHD to help with load factors. Lovely little machines, aint flown in one for yrs!
Join Date: Jan 2006
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735's
mart901
The 735 is a rare sight at BHX these days. I have checked through libhomeradar and found that one was in for a couple of days mid October on the BHD and I know one popped in earlier this month or late last month for day or so.
The last time I flew on the 735 it looked a little worn but has since received some TLC. The 733's despite their age have always looked great once the seats were updated.
Winter 2011/summer 2012
I still see no reprieve for Prague and Munich at EMA with them both gone by mid April but Cologne stays.
I am surprised CGN is persisted with looking at the November figures of 1951 pax if that was four a week that equates to 61 per flight or 81 at 3 a week.
I am sure December would have been better with the Christmas market trade but in summer you would think there were better fish to fry.
Pete
The 735 is a rare sight at BHX these days. I have checked through libhomeradar and found that one was in for a couple of days mid October on the BHD and I know one popped in earlier this month or late last month for day or so.
The last time I flew on the 735 it looked a little worn but has since received some TLC. The 733's despite their age have always looked great once the seats were updated.
Winter 2011/summer 2012
I still see no reprieve for Prague and Munich at EMA with them both gone by mid April but Cologne stays.
I am surprised CGN is persisted with looking at the November figures of 1951 pax if that was four a week that equates to 61 per flight or 81 at 3 a week.
I am sure December would have been better with the Christmas market trade but in summer you would think there were better fish to fry.
Pete
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Pete
Cheers for the info. Never in BHX these days I used to be there a lot yrs ago! Thanks for the info. Any WW a/c I've been on in the last few years has had leather seating, I don't think a lot of the general public would know they we're old(ish) a/c, they look great. Service and appearance of crew a lot better too. Any info on how their other routes are faring at BHX?
Cheers for the info. Never in BHX these days I used to be there a lot yrs ago! Thanks for the info. Any WW a/c I've been on in the last few years has had leather seating, I don't think a lot of the general public would know they we're old(ish) a/c, they look great. Service and appearance of crew a lot better too. Any info on how their other routes are faring at BHX?
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Baby @ BHX
mart901
The aircraft utilisation this winter at BHX is similar to 2010/11 with the same
destinations. The flights where they are sole operator in November were good
but of course I have no idea of the yields.
Prague was up with a load factor approaching 80% and Knock was up 15%
although still just below 70%.
They seem to hold their own against KLM on the Amsterdam although can't say how they are doing against flybe on BHD as I don't have the breakdown.
The rest they compete with FR and ZB and figures on the whole were okay.
Next summer is a much better schedule with Rome, Lisbon and Barcelona returning plus increases on ALC and AGP. Nice tight busy schedule from late
May and not that bad from late March either.
Pete
The aircraft utilisation this winter at BHX is similar to 2010/11 with the same
destinations. The flights where they are sole operator in November were good
but of course I have no idea of the yields.
Prague was up with a load factor approaching 80% and Knock was up 15%
although still just below 70%.
They seem to hold their own against KLM on the Amsterdam although can't say how they are doing against flybe on BHD as I don't have the breakdown.
The rest they compete with FR and ZB and figures on the whole were okay.
Next summer is a much better schedule with Rome, Lisbon and Barcelona returning plus increases on ALC and AGP. Nice tight busy schedule from late
May and not that bad from late March either.
Pete
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Cheers Pete,
My next flight with them will be a STN-BHD, will be interesting to see the load. As you prob know EZY are moving some flights to SEN on their BFS route so this may help them.
My next flight with them will be a STN-BHD, will be interesting to see the load. As you prob know EZY are moving some flights to SEN on their BFS route so this may help them.
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I don't understand why they ddnt pick a route like Prague for the winter, at least they would have no competition, this goes for all the routes they decided to fly from Belfast. Seems like very poor planning and no original thinking
Join Date: May 2007
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They flew to Prague from BFS, last winter or the year before with a Cardiff based aircraft, think three times a week. If it was profitable then, I'm sure it would have returned.