BMI

[INKJET]

ETOPS

Thank you for posting that link, it illustrates just how much the lack of a 3 rd runway is holding back BA and the UK in terms of growth and jobs. Branson must be spitting feathers, but if you can't come up with the dosh, then tough luck, in any event bmi could have pushed Virgin over the edge, RB is just wanting some spoils, a few slots for free.

Short haul would be suicide for Virgin, I though the most illuminating fact was the average number of seats per aircraft LHR average 201 BA 199 bmi 119 and bmi struggled to fill even that small number, whilst a full ERJ may have lost less than a 40% full 320 the ERJ is a route killer out of LHR, it's a nice aircraft to fly in on thin or routes that would other wise be a turboprop, but lacks the space that you get with a bus or 737 for locker luggage. It has no role to play in a LHR that is 99% full.

[Benjamino]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but does anyone know what is happening with the FRA flights from BHX & MAN which are operated for Lufthansa? And any idea when these are likely to end?

[quantumofcheese]

BMI used BMI Regional's 145's on just a few LHR routes

duir:

In the link very kindly supplied by ETOPS it states that 'At Heathrow, bmi uses 50-seat regional aircraft on approximately 25% of its slots' - that means 1 in every 4 slots is used by an ERJ

..that figure pretty much speaks for itself

[le grand fromage]

So LH seem to be ditching the bmi pension scheme and have persuaded the trustees to agree to put it into the Pension Protection Fund. When they said early in the process with IAG that LH would be retaining the pension scheme I don't suppose that anyone thought they would be getting reduced benefits. This will affect everyone in some way and particularly pilots and management. Seems to me that the unions involved need to start a major campaign to persuade LH to change their mind and honour the commitments that all employees in the scheme expected. A noisy press campaign trashing LH's reputation in the UK might be a good start. As for the trustees, how did they get conned into this....they are supposed to be looking after the interests of members.....

[FQTLSteve]

bmi flights MAN/BHX to FRA

Hi Benjamino, I've just been on the bmi reservations site and it appears that from 20 APR both services are all operated by LH, with bmi codeshare. Since I'm no expert, when the announcements have stated that bmi's full summer schedule will operate I assume (?) that all code share's with *A will continue until the start of the winter schedules. I would appreciate an explanation of how this works given the allaince situation after 19 April, if someone with more knowledge could explain please?

[MaxRange120]

Lufthansa, which is offloading the loss-making carrier to British Airways, on Wednesday told existing bmi pensioners and employees that changes were being made to the final salary scheme ahead of the takeover, which closes on Thursday.
The final salary pension scheme is being entered into the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) - an option normally used for companies that go bust.
The trustee of the scheme, Clive Grimley, admitted in a letter the move would "result in members receiving compensation that is less than their full expected benefits".
Bmi employees who are yet to retire will now only receive 90pc of their final salary pension. Payments will also be capped depending on their age at retirement.
Lufthansa has agreed to pay £84m to make up for some of the lost benefit, which will be distributed according to "individual members' characteristics".
Balpa, the pilots' union, said: "This will have a direct and negative effect on pilots' pensions."
A Lufthansa spokeswoman said the PPF was a last resort after the Pensions Regulator rejected a previous proposal.

Bmi pensions to be cut after sale to BA - Telegraph

BMI pensioners face cuts to benefits - FT.com

[le grand fromage]

Presumably the regulator only rejected LH keeping the scheme itself as it was using a shell UK subsidiary with little or no assets. If LH at the parent level had guaranteed the subsidiary, there's no way the regulator would have turned it down. So for the LH spokesperson to say it was a last resort to put the scheme into the PPF is disingenuous to say the least.
Can't believe the lack of outrage on these pages....this is a very large and financially sound company abandoning its wholly owned subsidiary and it's pensioners to much reduced pensions, limited increases and no widows or dependants pensions. Whilst I'm not surprised at LH 's behaviour, it's morally reprehensible. Where's the Daily Mail you need it!

[Say again s l o w l y]

Oh there's plenty of outrage, but everyone has been so ground down recently with all of the uncertainty and lack of direction that most are just too fed up and tired to do much about it.

A sorry state of affairs I'm afraid.

Nice e-mail from Lufty has just landed in the inbox too...

[nigel osborne]

La grand fromage

Im afriad its a ruthless business, LH had to cut millions,so doubt if they will be that devastated to let Baby go to the wall,if thats the final situation.

Its horrible for a dedicated workforce as you say !

Nigel

[le grand fromage]

Should point out that widows pension is payable at 50 percent ....my error in previous post.

[G-AWZK]

LH had to cut millions,so doubt if they will be that devastated to let Baby go to the wall,if thats the final situation.

Their management of bmi was woeful, and the sales process for the bmi group a pantomime, and deeply unprofessional. It has cost them millions by mis-management and short-sighted idiotic non-decision making.

It will cost thousands of people their livelihoods and mark my words, there will be people who will suffer the ultimate price.

[ZeBedie]

Why is the pension regulator allowing two profitable companies to do this?

Why did anyone believe LH when they said that they were creating a UK company to manage the fund?

[ZeBedie]

there will be people who will suffer the ultimate price.

You mean suicide? Or fatal stress related medical conditions? Yes, I wouldn't be surprised.

[Howsie2007]

The following is on AFP

LONDON — International Airlines Group has completed its takeover of Lufthansa unit bmi, and agreed to purchase its low-cost and regional operations at a "significant" discount, IAG said on Friday.
"IAG has completed the purchase of bmi from Lufthansa. It is planned that bmi mainline will be integrated into British Airways and consultation has begun already with bmi mainline staff and their trade unions," a statement said.
The London-headquartered group, holding company of British Airways and Iberia, added that it would continue to operate the no-frills division bmibaby and bmi regional in the short term, but look also to offload them because they were not part of IAG's long-term plans.
"bmibaby and bmi regional have not been sold prior to completion" of the deal to buy bmi mainline, said IAG.
"Under the terms of the purchase agreement, IAG will also acquire these businesses and receive a significant price reduction. IAG will pursue options to exit these businesses and more details will be provided in due course.
"The costs associated with exiting these businesses, including the impact of operating them in the short term, are expected to be offset by the price reduction."
The discount would be applied to the overall price. IAG had agreed late last year to purchase Lufthansa's loss-making unit, formerly known as British Midland, for £172.5 million ($277.8 million).

[MaxRange120]

Lufthansa is criticised by MP for benefit cuts

UK/GERMANY - An MP has attacked German airline Lufthansa for failing to protect the interests of longstanding British workers who face massive cuts in their pension entitlements.

Does this look like something recent?
Did the unions know about these previous trends ?

Lufthansa is criticised by MP for benefit cuts

[le grand fromage]

Bloggs, really don't like your tone towards either LH or SMB....and just what is so wrong about SMB requiring LH to comply with a contract that was negotiated in good faith in 1999? The whole point of that deal was to allow SMB an exit from the business at a time of his choosing within certain time limits. There were no conditions placed on the condition of the business and LH had veto rights over all major decisions and 3 board members at all time. They had all relevant information at all times and have only themselves to blame for the mess that has now occurred.
If there is shame to be apportioned anywhere LH's abandoning of the pension scheme to the PPF takes some matching.

[wings11]

Bmi transfer to BA

I understand there will be a gradual transfer of aircraft, crew and routes acros to BA from mid May to Oct. Anyone know which routes/aircraft are due to go first?

[Aero Mad]

Wonder if we'll see this anytime soon then.

[jethro15]

For a/c transfer see here

Updated as and when info becomes available

[Flypuppy]

Wonder if we'll see this anytime soon then.

In a word; no.