Point taken Mr. Angry, maybe I should have been more specific. The carriers I had in mind were those operating the 'other end' of routes into LHR. They are mostly flag carriers (possibly subsidiaries of), so their cost base will be higher than the LoCos. Maybe now that there are some professional managers in place the opportunities that undoubtedly exist might be exploited. (You never know, it might even be possible to operate a 330 profitably once we stop paying 3x the market rate for its lease with those proceeds topping up an already swollen retirement fund for a certain individual)

Spot on skip.rat
As for the name I think they were trying to do a BCal.
For those of you who remember British Caledonian managed to trade using both their full name and "BCal" without too many problems, in fact none that I can think of. Unfortunately it didnt quite work out for bmi so it is back to basics :hmm:

G-WWBM left at the end of February. G-WWBB leaves this month. Not sure about G-WWBD.

This should give you all the info you need! :ok:

bmi fleet

MIDL at EMA last weekend ready for the paintshop,I understand that she is going to Turkey but do not know the airline.

This could end up going to Onur Air of Turkey as I am sure they currently have a couple of old bmi aircraft.

All the profits for LH and all of the risk for BMI ,you can see which direction this is heading.

I'm sorry Norman, your post makes absolutely no sense to me. The routes are a mix of bmi's own work and LH wet lease. So the profit/loss/leasing costs/risk are not the same for each route , contrary to your sweeping generalisation. Since DLH owns bmi, the profits and the risk are all on DLH's bottom line surely?

If you want to split it up between parent and child companies surely wet lease gives very little risk to bmi; fixed income for leasing the aircraft, where's the risk?

Max

Have heard rumours of regional starting GLA-FRA on behalf of LH sometime soon - any updates? Would this be a new based a/c?

Heard a few months ago that LH were looking at FRA and hamburg from NCL!
Would make sence to use bmi regional aircraft if slots can be found at times when LH can't use there own aircraft!

Would make sense - with no LH service to GLA there would be lots of appealing connections through FRA. I've lost of track of where the BMI-R fleet is, although IIRC GLA can operate with just one a/c... LBA in the morning and evening and CPH in the middle of the day.

Don't think Eurowings would be too happy, when they are chopping their fleet by 14 aircraft to cut costs...........only to see LH connecting services handed to BMIR.

LHR-Berlin Tegel
 

The bmi release with regards to this route seems to indicate that the current 3 daily flights operated on wet lease for LH will become 'normal' bmi flights along with the new 4th daily frequency. Can anyone confirm this?

Also any word on LHR-Dresden?

Can anyone confirm the rumours of new German routes out of Glasgow and Newcastle earmarked for bmi Regional???

LHR-DRS apparently confirmed daily A319, 12h35 ex-LHR, 16h05 ex-DRS from 19 April.

Sächsische Zeitung [online] - Wirtschaft: Mit Lufthansa direkt von Dresden nach London und Mailand

Am a little confused and at the risk of opening a can of worms can someone explain the onboard service and apparent business plan for BMI - there has been so much chopping and changing I just want someone to tell me if am close or wide of the mark:

There is a press release today on the website re the new Berlin service but also relaunching the onboard services to include a two class cabin, returning on continental europe flights is the traditional business class in a 2-2 config with free hot meal and drink on board and also in economy its free drinks and free food also. - to me this is BMI going full circle and in fact going one better than BA by providing food in econ (it doesnt state light snack like BA so this is why am stating its one better)

So is the situation now this

UK&I - no free food or drink, single cabin but you can have flexible and non flexible tickets

Continental Europe - Traditional 2 class service (going back to how BMI was, and how BA/Lufthy currently are)

Med Haul - Traditional 2 class - except Cairo on the A330 is 3 class with premium economy.


Going forward BMI focus is

1)Uk&I Feeder to LHR although fewer frequencies and less destinations than previously
2)Feeder and route operator into Germany operating as BMI - BMI routes (but obviously codeshared) - allows Lufthy to free up its own aircraft on some UK-Germany routes it previously operated and allows new routes to Germany to be commenced on BMI.
3)Lufthy wet lessor into Germany - i.e on some routes its just plane/crew thats leased and its essentially a Lufthy route - operated by BMI plane
4)Lufthy wet lessor into Italy (on behalf of Lufthansa Italia), into Brussels (BMI Regional from a couple of regional UK airports)
5)BMI / Austrian route share to VIE
6) BMI Mid haul to Africa, Russia (Route share with Transaero), Middle East as before.

With points 3 and 4 I assume this is being done because A) it guarantees BMI profit on this operation as they take no risk on filling the seats which may just shift cost onto Lufthy's P&L rather than BMI's but Lufthy can cover it and BMI cant as it looses money. B) The routes are better to be offered as Lufthy "owned" routes in terms of marketing, booking but when you get to the gate its a BMI aircraft but by then the job is done.

In some respects the above is good because although its complicated its weaving BMI into the operations of Lufthy in a way that would help turn BMI to profit, make the airline more valuable (which will look good on the accounts of Lufthy) but at the same time would make BMI an asset to hold onto as a key feeder into its home territory and that of its subsidiaries rather than to sell as was rumoured some months back.

So - am I close or wide of the mark?:ok:

And finally......
For the German routes from UK which are:
BMI "Owned"Routes (Codeshare Lufthy)
Lufthy "Owned" Routes (Operated by BMI aircraft and Codeshare BMI)
Lufthy "Owned" Routes (Operated by Lufhty aircrft Codeshare BMI)

Im completley confused and I work for them! Can only imagine how the passengers feel!

Flexible econ tickets - seated at front with free food and drink, standard econ tickets, seated at rear with buy on board drinks and snacks

Yes

Cairo is back on to A321 with 2 class service. Only 1 A330 left in the fleet operating KSA routes with flat bed business class and economy

Almost right ;) The odd one out is HAJ, which oddly has the same one cabin service as UK and Ireland.

If you think the products are confusing, try getting your head around the codeshares and wetleases...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/bmi-d...er-2010-a.html

bmi owned: HAJ & TXL
Lufty owned bmi operated: CGN, HAM, DRS
Lufty owned & operated: All others (ex LHR atleast)