I must admit also that the new brown interior on the mid-haul aircrafts looks superb but for some reason I was a little disappointed with the short-haul interior on G-DBCK, the brown seats appeared darker than on the mid-haul aircrafts but i'm sure it will grow on me.
I very much welcome and appreciate the positive changes and efforts to improve the cabins and definitely feel that bmi is heading in the right direction but theres still alot of work needed on the catering side of things to bring them in line with the rest of the LH family, I really hope this is an area that is under review too.
The 'buy on board' product damages the full service brand and people will always see bmi as a low cost carrier until they provide full complimentary catering on all flights. On the UK & Ireland flights they don't have to offer much but just a cup of tea/coffee/soft drink and a little snack. BA only feed their domestic pax with some bird seeds and a drink but you never hear anyone associating them with low cost carriers!

bmi will have to do much more than putting in new brown seats on their planes. Their website is the worst and slowest I have ever encountered, full of broken links and, when it can't cope, just breaks off the enquiry with a brief "This website is undergoing maintenance" get-out page.

Today at LHR they announced at least two hours beforehand that one of their flights was delayed for an hour so pax knowing they wouldn't be going anywhere soon didn't go to the gate and probably went shopping or drinking. Then bmi began boarding that flight at the original boarding time with just two or three pax at the the gate. Needless to say they then had to do a roundup of all the other pax which resulted in the flight departing an hour late anyway. Lots of apologies but not good enough. How the mighty have fallen.

BMI today launch their daily flight to Tripoli, Libya with their midhaul A320.

Not the best time to launching a new route with all the troubles in the country.

I wish them the best of luck.

ayroplain- like all airlines they are working in an operational environment, things can change in minutes depending on the situation. BD are obliged under Star Alliance rules to publish and make delay calls when required so in this instance you are damned if you do and damned if you dont, but hey, that's aviation for you :ugh:

never mind about the pretty insides how do you get them feckin section loaded things in trim with a low pax and bag count more the point!!!!!!

It amazes me how some people have so much passion in hating and knocking bmi. Yes, they have their faults and sometimes many. As a consumer I buy something which best suits my needs, if I don't like something then I won't buy it, likewise if bmi is so terrible then why continue flying with them, theres lots of other airlines out there you can go to.
bmi is just about getting back on their feet again, as a customer i'm happy that they are at least trying to improve certain things and it will take some time to get everything right once again, so for god sake just give them a break.

Well said! :ok:

they need a break, what with their luck in choosing destinations

1 - Kyiv, just as the the Ukranian economy crashes
2 - Tel Aviv, at the same time U2 and LY increase frequency
3 - Lybia, just when the leader decides to crush the opposition


Where next - Yemen? Algeria?

Let's remember that routes are not started overnight! They are planned months before... The TIP was in fact meant to start in December... Do U really think bmi would start a route to somewhere knowing it would fail/have problems... Err no :ugh:

2 weeks ago, Egypt was in chaos. Now at the end of February, the situation seems to have stabilised, and Egypt has a chance of flourishing over the next 5 years. David Cameron was in Cairo to meet the military Govt this week.

Places like Libya are less stable than much of the EU and come with higher risks, but it also means competition tends to be reduced and an airline has a better chance of making some good money. AFAIK, stable routes like LHR-AMS were not particularly profitable for bmi

In 2005, Ethiopia was on the verge of a revolution, but bmi still fly there.
The separation of South Sudan from the Khartoum Govt could have ended far more messily - but bmi still flies that route.
The UK and Iran have not been friendly for many years, but bmi still flies to Tehran.
The USA regards (or used to regard) Syria with contempt - bmi still flies to Damascus
Kyrgyzstan has had a very varied politics over the last 10 years - bmi still flies to Bishkek

I could go on - but you probably get the point. The violent phase of a revolution usually lasts a short period of time. After that, life has to go on, people still need to meet to do business and money gets paid for seats on flights.

For the time being, I have faith that Tripoli will be a long term money spinner for bmi

Money to be made
 

Most of bmi "Stan" route network is not about leisure traffic and the seat prices reflect that, things will settle in Libya probably without the Mad dog who must now face genocide charges in due course.

The new Libya will see a flood of investment and business opportunities which will serve bmi well.

It is rumoured on other pilot websites that 2012 will start to see baby re equip with ex bmi 319's starting with services into STN from BHD & Scotland with a view to STN becoming the bmi group second hub with all non LHR flights operated by a re positioned and re branded baby product

Meanwhile LHR will focus on STAR with only MAN,EDI&ABZ feeding LHR

LH see 3 threats to their businesses in Europe, on long haul routes it's EK which they can do little about other than hope that people choose to fly over Arab lands rather than land there

BE are seen as real threat to thin but profitable European business routes

FR are seen as less of an issue than 3 years ago and will continue to battle through the German and European courts over their ( FR) misleading claims and charges as well as state handouts from regional Governments

Bmi USA flights should restart from 2012 provide oil trends back below $100 over this summer

Lets not forget BMI have started around 120,and ended 120 routes in the last 10 or so years,and i don't think BMI went to Ethiopia in 2005.

Dear me I did actually laugh but let's have a think about the options.

Point to point from LHR-US which won't work with no feed at either end - FAIL
LHR "Hub" to US point - STAR partners have their own hubs they can serve without the stop to the US, Lufthansa in particular
US "Hub" to LHR - US airlines Unions would kick off as LH would in effect be taking their jobs. Don't exepct United to be giving LHR-IAD to bmi anytime soon.

The only possibility I could see would be a foot in the water to a secondary market, currently unserved but with some STAR feed in the US. Also STAR see London as a focus city, not as a hub.

120? I'd like to see you name 120 destinations bmi have started & stopped in the last 10 years... I think not!

So is BHD to loose it's LHR???

BMI to Tripoli
 

Our illustrious Foreign Secretary stated that two commercial airlines/flights were requested by HMG to fly to Tripoli and pick up British Citizens - but they declined the request. Anybody know if BMI was one of requested?

Skippy
 

UK feed is not that important any more outside of MAN/EDI/ABZ what is important is the middle east market for oil and gas which bmi have a good number of routes, London is and will remain an international hub for many businesses in part because of our legal frame work and English language.

Some people need to adjust their mindset as to what bmi is about these days instead of thinking of the farce years under SMB & NT

BFS101

It depends on how STN goes with WW, for many unless your interlining there is now little differance in travel times to London using the STN or LHR express and holding delays and tarmac delays are less at STN.

The airport fee's are much less at STN, if the WW service eats into LHR it will in the short term mean more ERJ's and higher prices on LHR-BHD, long term the slot cap at LHR will kill it unless it makes money.

I don't really understand why the group would do this.

I understand why they would want to take as many O&D passengers as possible out of LHR and that travel times from STN into central london is similar and probably less hassle. I dont think competing with easyJet to UK routes is going to go very well, unless the group can offer something more than easyJet, with DC miles, lounge access maybe a (very) light refreshment.

I call bluff on the A319s moving over from mainline to a 'rebranded' baby. BD do use these aircraft at LHR, on their European routes and the remaining domestic network. They are currently refitting them with new seats, so unless baby is being folded back into mainline, I don't know. Last plan was some more 733s and new paintwork for the rest of the baby fleet.

I agree to the extent UK feed is not *profitable* hence anything on the Embraer is for the chop. That includes MAN and ABZ, with only EDI possibly remaining as it's a very strong city destination in it's own right. Indeed I very much doubt there's room for DUB.

On paper that's true but the behaviour of the market doesn't reflect that. It's London and the M4 corridor with all the businesses therein that's the key driver, that's the issue not London per se. Heathrow is bang on the M4 corridor.

OK lets start with Dakar,Ankara,Ekaterinberg,Glasgow,Leeds,Jersey,Madrid,Paris, Copenhagen,Amsterdam,BRU, Kiev,Bombay,Vegas,Washington,barbados,Antigua,Tel Aviv,Aleppo,teeside.well thats around 20 off the top of my head.
Having once been the airline for europe BMI had dozens of routes that are no longer.
I counted over 120 with an old timer at BMI and he was surprised it was so many.
Just for interest anyone else care to help me out ?