AIRBUS 215...well, yr not crew....ANYMORE !!
Polly, move on, bmi is in yr past !!
In my opinion, the bmi busy class is 2nd to none..
And of those that I have spoken to that have sampled all 3, they are in agreement...
Now if we can only get the rest of it right #!
;)

OK Little Blue .....

I concede that I no longer remain in check... But once a sarnie slapper always a sarnie slapper ! And I may well end up back in check yet .....

All joking apart have to agree with you having had the chance to sample VS BD BA I have to say we have got it right on long haul.... Wont comment on my own product area as I ll be told im biased !:p



:ok:

Well done to bmi!!

I'm hearing today they are going to appeal. I think that is a token effort, which they don't really expect a result from. But they sure do realise the importance of establishing a long-haul presence at Heathrow, no matter how small. Especially if they gain South Africa slots as well, then they will only make they case stronger for US rights, should they ever come up for grabs.

THing is though I am worried about MAN. bmi services there are great for the region, and bmi too i believe. And although I can't doubt LHR is a more sure bet of success, MAN is worth a sweat...the potential to hub there and launch a unique operation is great..

What does everyone else think?

Well said Busta Level !

Shall be interesting to see how any 'relationship' between VS and BD fosters due to the start of these routes.

A further question if anyone is the wiser ?

Will BD operate this from Terminal One ? I would of course guess yes, but with airport restrictions ie. gate availability this may be an issue.

With only 4 flts a week, will Dubai or Capetown be an option for bmi ex LHR ?

and lastly, if anyone can be bothered to answer !!! - is bmi ever going to paint the rest of their fleet ie. paint any of the A321's or any of the older A320's - I still cant believe that not one has been painted following a revamp what 4 years ago ? ( before anyone has words - the only existing aircraft in the fleet painted was a 737-300 that went to baby about 3 weeks following its paint job ! apart from that every aircraft in new colours has been delivered new as such )

cheers all

Parking the a/c in T1 will be a problem, especially if they schedule to land first thing when there's usually chaos trying to park the SAA's.

I've heard that bmi may trade the 321s back in for 319s hence the delay in painting.

Cheers!

AIRBUS 215 I just stated an opinion not a fact if you'd read it carefully. In my "opinion" BD's longhaul services are pretty rubbish compared to whats out there now. Stop worring about what I think and more of what the full fare pax think of it!! I undrstand that they are busy and i say good luck to em.

Oh, by the way, yes I am ex bmi as that has nothing to do with it. I have had the opportunity to fly CONFIRMED FULL FARE J class with all 3 carriers and speaking from a CONFIRMRD FULL FARE J class passenger's view, bmi aren't that good. Thats all!! I wasn't based at MAN so didn't know any of the crew so I could see what it was really like as a FULL FARE pax.

Another point, I never bothered with bmi longhaul as I live nowhere near MAN and didn't want to relocate. I have also already experienced lonhaul with another carrier and don't wish to do it again. Thank you for you comment AIRBUS 215 but you have clarly taken it in the wrong way. I wasn't bitching about them just stating an "opinion".

Two A321's are going to Turkish in April 2005 according to the CH-Aviation newsletter

i read that press release too.

Can anyone say how the longhauls ex-manchester are doing? I would hate to see them be ripped away for a London service!

What's wrong with the 321s that they are replacing them?

Mumbai timetable is out and routes now on sale. See below

We’re pleased to announce the launch of a new direct service to Mumbai from London Heathrow starting Monday 28 March 2005

The four times weekly service provides a three cabin service with inflight chef, with the following schedule:

London Heathrow - Mumbai
flight
number depart arrive days

BD781 09:15 22:40 mon, wed, fri, sat 28 Mar 05 - 29 Oct 05

BD781 09:20 23:25 mon, wed, fri, sat 31 Oct 05 - 25 Mar 06

Interesting to see all these flights operate from T1 at LHR.

Mumbai - London Heathrow
flight
number depart arrive days

BD782 00:35 05:50 tues, thurs, sat, sun 28 Mar 05 - 29 Oct 05

BD782 01:20 05:50 tues, thurs, sat, sun 30 Oct 05 - 25 Mar 06

any more on what a/c type it will be yet? Will it be the A340, lets hope so, I don't want to see any of the routes ex MAN pulled.

CRS (Sabre) shows A330 - hmmm!

But bmi still selling MAN-IAD which I thought might have been pulled.

Another aircraft?

Or even someone else's A330.....? :hmm:

bmi are going to find this to be a very tough operation. They will have a hopeless frequency for the business travellers and they will operate an aircraft that is far too small for this route. It is entirely likely that this route alone will add many millions to the bmi annual loss. It smells of a train set operation rather than a serious business activity. I guess that if BA had been given these frequencies they would be able to generate around three times the revenue per flight that bmi will generate. That calculation is easy. Thery have first class and large business class cabins and they have a very strong freight operation. bmi have no first, are likely to have a small business class and their freight marketing is pathetic by industry standards.

As one who is well experienced in the ways of the CAA I would incline to be cynical as to why bmi have been given this route. It is a certain thing that if bmi fail on this route they will face massive hurdles in getting more long-haul outes out of LHR.

"The food is terrible ..." "... and such small portions."

I'm sure they'd rather have a greater frequency - unfortunately, one of the existing duopoly operators got a third of the slots, and somebody else got a half. However, you have to start somewhere.

Anyone know when in January we can expect the result from the CAA appeal?

Apparently bmi were going to wet lease 2 LH A340s if they got all 21. bmi website is saying A330, but with the 3 MAN based A330 now operating at full schedule looks like another a/c. Anyone heard any different?

Have heard bmi will be leasing (not sure what terms, etc) a 330 from LH or that it will be one of the existing 330's and UA to take over MANIAD has anybody heard anything on that?

Colegate:

Why is the proposed 4/week frequency hopeless for business travellers? Bombay isn't exactly a there-and-back in a day destination. I would have thought most business travellers could work their schedule around a 4/week choice of flights. A more important negative point could be that regular travellers already have frequent flier programs with BA, VS or EK, and Bombay is currently BD's only Asian destination.

VS already operate A340's on the route, so an A330 isn't very different in terms of capacity (pls correct me if I'm wrong on this).

Personally, I'll stick with EK - wonderful food and service, despite the break in journey in Dubai.

Looking at the schedule which 330-Purser has posted makes me wonder: the aircraft is on the deck in LHR for three >24-hour periods each week. What's it going to do during this time? Is it going to position up to MAN to operate BD flights from there? Is it going to be used on heavily-loaded BD shorthaul flights from LHR? :eek: Are BD going to persuade UA to wetlease it for a couple of their own transatlantics? Or is dreadful utilisation just going to be the price that BD pays to supposedly establish themselves in LHR long-haul?