Who from the daily mail or beardy himself? What on earth do VS have to do with bmi? I'll tell you what, NOTHING! The 330s are going on the mid haul and Saudi routes where they will be very overstretched!! Clearly this thread is becoming full of sciolists, ridiculous people who think they know things and don't actually have a clue!!!!

Sky News reports VS in talks with LH over bmi's future

Must be true then!! This has been going on for years beardy must be bricking it!!

Reuters

Looks like it might be for real this time.

the words

river , down , sold

come to mind:{:rolleyes:

Looks like bmi are putting an E135 onto LHR-MME from 2nd February 2009, with A319's replacing the 135 on the JER. So where does the MME 145 go?

Is this LH's first influence or just a bit of re-arranging by bmi?

Lufthansa very unlikely to sell to Virgin Atlantic who seem to be almost desperate to forge a link/merger with bmi. Co-operation is the more likely option as Lufthansa has waited for a long time to realise their initial investment many years ago and would be unlikely to give it up to Sir Dickie. Another option is for LH to buy the Singapore 49% of VS and merge the two entities. Who knows? One thing for certain is that bmi isn't performing particularly well and neither is Virgin Atlantic. Lufthansa offers a safety net for bmi due to their strong position as consolidation takes place in aviation, Virgin remains exposed without an alliance or feeder network into London Heathrow as they cope with the fallout of open skies. Both airlines are really feeling the squeeze as the economic situation worsens by the day. You need deep pockets to be in the airline business right now.

hear hear :D:D:D:D

Lufthansa Keeps Open Mind On Virgin/BMI
http://i.cdn.turner.com/money/.eleme...ng/dj_logo.gif December 11, 2008: 01:27 PM ET



CHICAGO -(Dow Jones)- Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE) said Thursday that it is not in serious talks with Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. about potential cooperation over British Midland Airways Ltd., or bmi, in which the German airline is in the process of buying a majority stake.
But Lufthansa said it maintains an open mind about potential cooperation with Virgin Atlantic.
The German flag carrier also said it had the capacity to absorb more acquisitions and strategic stakes on top of the various ones it has made in Europe and the U.S. in recent months.
"From a management point of view, we can do much more," Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Lufthansa's chairman and chief executive, said at an industry event in Chicago.
Virgin Atlantic said Wednesday that it had held talks with Lufthansa about the future of bmi, which controls a number of slots at London's Heathrow Airport.
Expressions of interest in some sort of cooperation or tie-up between bmi and Virgin Atlantic have not led to serious negotiations, said Klaus Walther, Lufthansa's senior vice president corporate communications.
"We want to find out what [Virgin] wants," noted Walther. He said it would be "logical" to integrate bmi into the Lufthansa group, adding that "there are other options."
Lufthansa is set to lift its stake in bmi, which focuses on short- and medium- haul flights in Europe, from 30% minus one share to 80% next month.
Europe's second-largest carrier by traffic after Air France-KLM SA (3112.FR), Lufthansa recently has expanded through the acquisition of Swiss International Airlines and a 45% stake in Brussels Airlines, with a pending deal to take a 41.6% share in Austrian Airlines (AUA.VI). It has a 19% stake in JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU), a low-fare U.S. carrier.
Lufthansa has also been linked with taking a stake in SAS Scandinavian Airline Systems, and is keeping an eye on the restructuring of Italian flag carrier Alitalia (AZA.MI).
Mayrhuber said Lufthansa's model eschews outright mergers: "Our concept is a modular one. It's like a planetary system that works together."
He said complete integration brings "dis-synergies." Lufthansa prefers an approach he described as "one kitchen, several restaurants".
Nigel Turner, bmi's chief executive, declined to comment on the prospect of any deal with Virgin Atlantic.
-By Doug Cameron, Dow Jones Newswires

So Sir Richard Branson makes public statement about VS talking to LH about a tie-up with BMI only to have the Germans say "that it is not in serious talks with Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. about potential cooperation over British Midland Airways Ltd., or bmi, "

More beardy spin I think...........

Lufthansa prefers an approach he described as "one kitchen, several restaurants".

So BMI could either be the Ritz or Burger king

Greasy spoon, more like it...

Charter aircraft going to GLA??
 

Sunways Holidays announcing flights on BMI next summer from GLA. Anyone know the score?

BMI have been operating charters from Glasgow for longer than I've been alive mate. Nought unusual.

Hi. Looking for a flight to Beijing from MAN. Does anybody know of any way to get a through ticket with the BMI shuttles and on to Air China?

I was surprised to learn that Air China do not offer this on the internet nor do BMI, am I missing a blindingly obvious reason why there is no star alliance link?

If not it'll be KLM!

DAr19

There is a connection through a BMI code share on Lufthansa to Frankfurt, and on to Air China. You could go Lufthansa all the way,which is cheaper.
See Expedia.
Regards,
Jubilee

Thank you Jubilee, I decided to go for Emirates in the end.

DAr19

Anyone know if BD have any plans in regard to their handling arrangments at LHR with Aviance? It just doesnt seem to be working, we had a flight today arrive minus 22 local bags and no sign of when they are going to arrive!

Ive spoken to many BD staff from LHR and they say Aviance just provide them with problem after problem.

If Aviance loose the BD contract at LHR, it would be real bad for the whole company.

They seem to be in general, quite good up north!

As regards BD, Aviance just load and unload the bags - all check-in and Dispatcher functions are performed by BD's own staff which is usually the problem as to why bags don't travel and thus fail to arrive at their destination.

The96er

not for long. send me a pm if you want more info.

Rumour has it BMI are going down to just one 757, the other is going back to Astraeus, surely if they start to use this 757 on short haul it will cost a fortune in crew and maintenance? Cant see the AEU crews wanting to drive back and forth to LHR daily! Maybe the contract allows for this, but is it worth it?

The airline is not there to serve the crew, they may not want to drive to LHR daily but they may have to !

I think Aviance have recently signed another 2 year with BMi.

Missing bags at LHR are normally all related to late conx flights...

Does anyone know when the ex-BMED aircraft are due to be repainted into full bmi colours? They have had them for more than a year now.

Regards

Mike

Aeu crews will go where the work is. The 75 is the perfect mid haul beast for BMI. Half the cost of a 330 and goes almost as far with 160 plus pax. It could of course do it with 201, 221, 0r 233 config but I'm sure the Business pax would get upset on the way to Almaty or Freetown with minimal legroom!
Shame we are down to one 75 but it is clearly a result of rationalisation and also the economic downturn. The whole world is in the same boat. Doubly a shame because a lot of BMI flight deck seemed to be very interested in the 75 as an upgrade or transfer option. It would have been terrific to fly with them, but that seems to be a diminishing option now?
Things are very much in flux at the moment for all airlines, but like everything else, economic reality is a harsh taskmaster, and will not be denied.
We all have to justify our existence, or go to the wall. The right attitude goes a long way.
So driving to LHR is not a problem.
Ever.

aztruck
Well said.

Maybe the issue of one of the 75's needing heavy maintenance just a short while into the contract has put bmi off?

Or possibly because bmi don't actually need two 757's as they only really need the extra range on the Freetown and Almaty/Bishkek. I hear that using one on the Tel Aviv was a disaster mainly because of the standard of cabin.

On the subject of bags not being carried, as stated already most of the time it is down to not enough transit time between flights. There is another reason which is if there are to many bags checked in by pax and hence the a/c would be overweight.

6

Im talkin about local LHR-DUB/EDI/MAN/GLA bags etc, a A320/A319 overloaded with luggage on such short flights? Thats bull!

BMI delayed more luggage per 1000s passengers than any other airline in Europe during 2008 and that includes BA, somthing isnt quite right?

EC-ILS
 

That life with T1 & T2 i'm afraid!! BA figure in terms of lost/delayed lugagged have improved now most flight are from T5 and that has settled down, by 2012 when the new Star terminal is up and running things will improve.

The new German management may bring some new ideas (and contractors) to the problem.:=

6chimes
 

I don't think the operation could be described as a disaster. However I agree that the cabin on the 757 does not match that of the competition in BA. BMI must have known that and put the 75 on the route anyway.

On the flights I operated we experienced reasonably good load factors but probably not enough in business class to see a good yield.

The pax food on these flights is another issue altogether - starving was probably the better option.


Regards
Exeng

Rumor has it Tel Aviv going onto A330 twice daily.

I bet plans have changed over the last few days.....

Re Lost luggage situ
one of our biggest probs for lost baggage up here are BA reroutes especially on our last flight of the day, we get quite a few and they never seem to come with thier bags usually turn up the next morning on the first BA flt:ugh:

The head Of IATA has today predicted in the times Alitalia and BMI will suffer the most in the downturn.Even with LH in charge its cash flow must be poor.

As we all know everyone one is loosing money but you couldnt ask to have a better owner than LH in this current downturn.
The fact we may be hit bad this year is no different to anyone else's position regardless of the size of lose and I wouldnt be put off by this.
Remember its been rudderless for a long time and the staff had no good news for a long time, no expansion when everyone else grew and no direction just reaction.
I think big changes are coming in the next couple of years.
The slots are its bets asset that is no secret but the key is what can/will be done with them.
We may take heavy losses next year but I wouldnt write them off just yet after all Wolfy isnt going to let it loose the slots or any more money and hes in it for the long term and he hasn't make a bad bet!

regards

Keepitlit

Times online 27/12/08

The sky's the limit for Wolfgang Mayrhuber, chief executive of Lufthansa. Not only is the German airline taking control of bmi, the British carrier, on January 12, but it also wants to swoop for Austrian Airlines, and SAS, the Scandinavian airline.

Mr Mayrhuber, 60, who has been running Lufthansa since 2001, is buying up rivals across Europe with a speed and certainty that Willie Walsh - his counterpart at British Airways, who is still trying for a merger with Iberia after months of negotiations - can only dream of.

Air France-KLM, Lufthansa's other European rival, has also been left reeling by Mr Mayrhuber's speed of turn. He may soon head Europe's largest airline if Lufthansa's takeover of Austrian Airlines is approved by the European Union, leap-frogging Air France-KLM. Lufthansa agreed to acquire the state's 41.6 per cent stake in Austrian Airlines on December 5, paving the way for a full takeover. Earlier this month, the Austrian Government gave its approval to a deal that will see it take on some of the carrier's debt.

Lufthansa has indicated that its biggest task for 2009 will be to turnaround struggling bmi, which Mr Mayrhuber invested in partly to get hold of the airline's lucrative Heathrow landing slots. He said this month that he would not make any decisions about acquiring the remaining 20 per cent of bmi until he has turned the airline into a profit-making carrier.

Related Links
BAA prospects for Gatwick sale look bumpy
“Afterwards, we can look at long-term strategic options, which are offered us through bmi's strong positioning at London's Heathrow airport,” he said.

Lufthansa's chief also boasted that his airline does not have financing concerns, unlike some of its rivals.

Reportedly also on Mr Mayrhuber's 2009 to-do list is a long-term buyout of SAS.

Lufthansa and SAS have been in on-off merger talks since the autumn, but the pair never quite got there. The situation is complicated by the fact that the governments of Sweden, Norway and Denmark together hold 50 per cent of the Scandinavian carrier, so Mr Mayrhuber must secure their approval.

And in the background are two even bigger fish: Alitalia and Virgin Atlantic.

Lufthansa has been vying with Air France-KLM to strike an alliance with the bankrupt Italian flag-carrier and, in the medium term, Sir Richard Branson's British airline looks like an excellent prospect for a strategic alliance.

keepitlit
 

Rudderless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Might be rudderless for a bit longer, a Regional bod in the cafe at Leeds said the LH takeover was on hold until the approval of LH take over of Austrian was complete and that could run until March 09, in the meantime the management in Aberdeen have been told they can't run any courses or upgrades without approval from the bmi CEO & FD

Your information is correct, its due to admin hold up with Austrian but i wouldnt get too excited about it.

regards

Keepitlit

To compare bmi and Alitalia is irresponsible to the last. Alitalia has been operating at a loss for years mainly due to its ridiculous unions. It has zero capital and has been run into the ground by Marxist fools!

bmi on the other hand is fairing no worse than any other medium sized airline in the present climate, yes it'll make a loss for this year and probably next,but it'll get back on its feet when Lufty start to improve the brand; but is very lean and has been for years, it made a profit last year and has a sizeable chunk of cash in the bank. These careless speculators are irresponsible and not only have they talked us into a recession but they also send good companies to the wall!:ugh: