Given that this is a two year wet lease it is far more likely to be a scheduled route on behalf of the Lufthansa group.

BHX and MAN to Frankfurt for next 2 years !

Ian

Bmibaby
 

If bmibaby are basing an aircraft at BHD as off the 28th march 2011, does that mean they will be having a crew base there, or will the crews be night stopping in hotels to the expense of the airline.

Any ideas ????

BHX and MAN wet leases are for Lufthansa I believe.

fjencl

Who said anything about basing an aircraft at BHD? Surely WW routes are operated by aircraft visiting from main bases. Do you know different?

These are the timings:
WW4201 BHD0700 – 0820STN 737 x67
WW4202 STN0845 – 1010BHD 737 x67

WW4203 BHD1420 – 1540STN 737 x67
WW4204 STN1605 – 1730BHD 737 x67

WW4205 BHD1805 – 1925STN 737 x67
WW4206 STN1950 – 2115BHD 737 x67


WW4201 BHD1655 – 1815STN 737 7
WW4202 STN1840 – 2005BHD 737 7

Tail take off
 

Well yes and no, the WW aircraft will night stop at BHD as will the crews, but not a base in terms of based crews, I suspect that if the route is successful then it may well become a base in from the winter of 2011 with further routes for 2012 and aircraft.

This is going to be operated by an aircraft from CWL and guessing a CWL based crew. The aircraft goes back to CWL on Saturday morning an return Sunday afternoon.

Mon-Fri

BHD-STN 0700-0820 STN-BHD 0845-1010
BHD-CWL 1035-1135 CWL-BHD 1255-1355
BHD-STN 1420-1540 STN-BHD 1605-1730
BHD-STN 1805-1925 STN-BHD 1950-2115

Sat

BHD-CWL 0700-0800

Sun

CWL-BHD 1530-1630
BHD-STN 1655-1815 STN-BHD 1840-2005

What is unclear is whether or not CWL will be a 2 a/c base from now on with a 3rd a/c on Sat/Sun. Or is CWL going to be a 1 a/c base with a visiting 2nd.

At the moment flights are being sold for a 2/3 aircraft but it had always been before this announcement.

Shouldn't all this BHD/STN be under the bmibaby thread as apposed to the bmi one?!

With BMI apparently surrendering another two A320 to LH ops in addition to those already operating LHR-CGN/TXL/MXP/HAJ, how many remain for bmi's own ops?

HAJ (for years) and TXL are BD's own ops. So still plenty of a/c for own ops in addition to the wetleases. ;)

LH flights are covered as follows

1xA320 based CGN operating to LHR
1xA319 based LHR operating HAM/DRS (also does 1xTXL per day for bmi)
1xA319 based LHR operating MXP

Is bmi somewhat short on A319s? I am surprised that the CGN-based aircraft is an A320. In the past, Lufthansa often used Avro RJ85 or CRJ700s on the route. The largest aircraft I remember as a regular on the route was a Boeing 737-500.

The largest aircraft Lufthansa currently uses for non-hub flying is the Boeing 737-300 (there are a few exceptions and they will begin to deploy a few of their own A320s to non-hub routes next year).

A319 are generally found on the domestic & DUB runs (multiple daily flights to BHD, DUB, EDI, GLA and MAN) and from March North Africa (the exact destination escapes me), I would umagine thay have additional A320s as some are being reconfigured from mid-haul to short-haul config, although the BD website states A320s will get the refreshed min-haul interiors too.

LHR-TIP-LHR, although the launch has already been delayed once due to paperwork, presumably at the other end.

A320's
 

Brian, I was on DX a few weeks back and it now has mid haul C seating (blue leather not the new brown) in the first 5 rows. Must have been fitted when it was repainted recently.

DS was noted on a run to EVN a few of weeks back so I assume it too has gained mid haul C seats?

DT appears to be out of service since 18/11 but operated a DME before disappearing, has it regained its mid haul C seats?

Anyone know the current config of DO & DY, did they retain their C seats or are they operating in convertabile C/Y mode for LH/LX? I remember about a year ago G-MID* A320's were supposed to go back to all Y config.

Can someone in the know confirm any of the above? Presumably the fitting of C seats to the original A320's is to provide operational contingency to the important mid haul routes should there be any tech issues?

Would it not be more desireable to operate TIP with an A320 with a C cabin instead of an A319 with all Y or convertable C/Y seating?

I think it would, but fleet constraints mean it has to be a short haul config.

Perhaps it was more important to get something/anything going that provides good connections between TIP and EDI/GLA/ABZ. I've heard that there's a lot of business lately between those two countries... :E

...one way only I hear!

A320s
 

The bmi A320 fleet is as follows:

G-MEDH
Fixed Config: 22C 102Y : Ops Midhaul
G-MEDK
Fixed Config: 22C 102Y : Ops Midhaul
G-MIDO
Variable Cabin: 150CY : Ops for LH (CGN)
G-MIDS
Variable Cabin: 156CY : Ops Shorthaul
G-MIDT
Fixed Cabin: 20C 108Y : Ops Shorthaul
G-MIDX
Fixed Cabin: 20C 108Y : Ops Shorthaul & Midhaul
G-MIDY
Variable Cabin: 156CY : Ops for LX (GVA)

I believe the G-MID A320s have had Midhaul seating put back into them temporarily due to there being in effect, an A/C out of the fleet, whilst they took turns being resprayed in EMA.

Within the next month or so this should of been completed.

- G-MEDH is currently in EMA being painted into bmi Livery.

- G-MIDT is currently in MLA undergoing MX.

The A319 & A320 fleet will then be reconfigured & standardised. The new LH-Style seating will also start to be introduced.