"All that glisters..."

If there's one think that bmi are it's overly cautious when it comes to expanding and developing routes.

New bmi long haul product ...
 

See this from Flight:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...my-cabins.html

Looks very good, particularly the Premium J Class, but I can't help thinking that FI has confused some of the J and Premium Economy class seating photos; as nice as it would be, 2+2+2 and lie flat beds seems a bit much?

Possibly an error on FI's part. If not, someone give me the bmi reservations number!

No mistake, the Premium Economy seats are the old Business seats, making both cabins a great product. And yes, both 2+2+2.

The article reads fine, but they have used incorrect photos for Premium Economy with one exception. The PE seats are the old business class seats. Massive amounts of space for PE, but certainly not flat beds!

Turning from 'plane spotting and interior design to the bigger picture, can somebody please explain how they see the strategy as it stands at the moment?

I thought that part of the "Grand Plan" related to Open Skies, the challenge of healthy competition, the development of a profitable long haul operation etc. I guess that my interpretation was incorrect.

Have bmi not now abandoned ("delayed") such plans and simply taken on a loss-making concern and duplicated its operation? Such duplication will lead to a corresponding duplication of the losses, also, will it not? If that suggestion is an over-simplification, as I'm more than willing to concede, then what is the plan? Anybody know?

Much as I disagree with your opinions about bmi on some other threads you have got this about right I would say. If transatlantic out of LHR ever happens I will eat my hat. The few BMED routes that we could really clean up on are crying out for a larger, longer range aircraft, the 320/1 is just not up to the job. As the song says "there may be trouble ahead"

BMEDFO, I couldn't agree more. Only last week I was grilling Nigel Turner about some of our popular routes (THR, AMM and BEY) and he said the A330 would definitely be used for them... how things can change in seven days! Hopefully operating KRT from BEY will see some extra revenue, but we shall see.

What if he already knew about the "posponement" of the 330 order and was still sure that the 330's would be used?

A330 ops
 

I'm interested to know where MAN stands at the moment and the future in terms of the A330's? Are we to assume that long haul at MAN wins a stay of execution with no immediate US routes announced from LHR to coincide with Open Skies? I know one school of thought was that ORD would remain from MAN but the Caribbean and Vegas routes might be under threat with Open Skies LHR ops.

Also might the existing A330's be used on the busier BMED routes from LHR?

Anybody got any more information at this stage???

Do you think Turner and the board changed their minds about the 330's because they just don't know whats going on or is this a well constructed plan. Why have a big hoo har about 5 new A/C that then never happens? Ofcourse things in this business change but in the space of a few weeks, just seems a little odd that the tune keeps changing!

787 order maybe?!

Icelandic 757 Lease
 

bmi leasing Icelandic 757-200 from October 13th - 16th. Why such a short lease and what maintenance is this covering for?

Thanks

I heard the icelandair is to cover the late return of the 330 out of reconfiguration due to the ending of the 767 damp lease.

Haven't they learned their lessons from last time they did this! :=

They only see the pound signs after all its run by an accountant.
Penny wise pound foolish

rgds

Keepitlit

Not sure I fully understand the comment about pound signs and accountants. The A330 is late coming out of refit, so they needed a few days of cover with a different plane.

Sorry, but pretty much all airlines have to do this at some time or another, even BA with a much bigger fleet. bmi have a limited set of planes to shuffle around, so keeping it down to a few days of cover doesn't seem unreasonable.

I'm probably missing something here, so feel free to educate me if I am :ooh:

:ugh:no RAPC thats exactly how it is

The product that ice supply dose not get a good rep, just look at what happened when globespan got them in.
The point being they are probably the cheapest, which would be typical bmi form, isnt the best idea when your trying to make your mark in a business market.

regards

keepitlit

Icey 757
 

Believe me the reason that Iceland Air was brought in is not cost driven .....

At the current time availability of suitable A/C with the correct permits and permissions to operate the Saudi routes is very very limited .

Those carriers who had suitable aircraft didnt have the corerct permissions to operate to saudi , and other carriers who did have correct permissions diddnt have aircraft available.

Many man hours were spent trying to source coverage for the late A330 both in house and externally.

not quite as easy as you might think !