Do economy passengers have access to Business Lounges or am I missing something.

Dependent on their *A status amongst the respective carriers.

If it's a choice of LHR, BRU or FRA, then you're right, but if it's a choice between LHR or MUC or ZRH, then it would make a difference to me!

suppose their is only one answer to that... only if they are premier ;)

'Coffee to go'? Should be great. Nice to get that Brucie bonus when flying economy (with a gold/silver card of course). Just have to hope the H&S Taliban (a.n.a. ground crew) don't give it the old 'you can't board with a hot drink' routine at the gate. Perhaps they should have hi-vi vests with 'Das ist verboten' printed on them?

The ground crew are only doing what the company are telling them to do, the frustrating thing is it is probably the same people who decide both issues and they fail to get advice from other departments.:ugh:

we are hardly going to introduce coffee to go and then say you cant take it on board .... . with ref to the earlier question about economy passengers having access to lounges.... well of course they do if you have bmi silver or gold card or star gold card.

So in the overwhelming majority of cases the word you are grasping for is "no"?

i was not grasping for any words .... mate .....

Realistically speeking, IF LH wants to cover the connecting market from GLA itself, they'll have to do it from one of their hubs as close as possible to LHR to avoid having pax make a huge detour, so I don't think well see a GLA-MUC or GLA-ZRH flight anytime soon.

Only possibilities are FRA (once the new RWY opens) or BRU, possibly DUS.

My money is on FRA, unless SN wants to give GLA a try once more. They did it a few years ago, and failed, but this time, they could use BD regional as operating carrier, just like they do on the trice daily service from BRU to BRS and NCL (and with some success, it seems)

yes, if they have purchased lounge access (eg. priority pass).

GB's most profitable route on the network was always LHRAGP by some margin.......

Returning to the query at the top of the page regarding on board service, with the exception of domestic & Republic of Ireland flights all other mainline flights offer complimentary food & drink in both cabins, do they not?

changes to Diamond club mileage
 

I had an e-mail today to say that they are reducing the mileage on a majority of fares codes from April; I always thought the mileage program was overly generous and now it is going to be harder to achieve the silver and gold levels without buying the more expensive fares

I believe Hannover is also BOB.

bmi mileage
 

YEP - Re BMI FF, I have also the same e mail.....

Does this airline currently insist in adding insult to misery for FF? (especially those of us who were loyal on the Glasgow route...

It was not over generous it was adequate for the routes and size of the airline - next thing will be time constricted -

:ugh:

BMI from SLF view
 

Was on a cheap BMI trip to LHR this week. Flew down Wed on the BD003, sched at 0845. Got to the gate for 0820, saw only an Embraer there....erm, yes, that was our flight! Pretty full, as you'd expect, only my third flight on a Junglie, and OK if you don't have a huge person beside you. My carry on small roller bag was removed and re-delivered after landing at the steps. Surprised to see an Embraer 145 midweek, but after reading all about what had happened, not surprised.

Tonight, got to LHR at 1500, had stuff to do on the laptop and as there's no place to work landside, went thru (I was on the 2135 flight!!!) and settled down at Costa at Gate 8, watching the departing birds. At check-in laughed at BMI's huge "Welcome To Our Home" sign, thought that was EMA but hey ho. For anyone who hasn't travelled out of T1 lately, you go thru photo check, then security, into the BAA shops area, but if you want to sit at the gate and watch the action, you can't then return to the shops, unless you go landside again and thru the whole bollox. Security guy said that was OK to do that if I wanted to. In the event I worked until laptop ran out of juice (no sockets of any use, of course), then checked departures board....delayed until at least 2230. Just checked, and in fact BD14 landed at 0008, so must have got airborne about 2315!

I was on a ticket that cost £68 plus CC fee (no wonder they didn't make money), and after seeing the delay asked at the BMI desk how much it would be to get on the BD12, due to go at 1920 but delayed about 30 mins. The time was 1930. Girl checked and said that due to delays tonight, she'd get me on the BD12 for free! Boarded 10 mins later, departed at 2000, landed about 2100. Superb service, above and beyond, I'd say.

Interestingly, the BD12 was not available at sale fares, one way (even back in December) was about £100. The A319 was only about half full...maybe 70 pax? Aircraft was G-DBCA, which the crew announced had just been re-assigned from a Milan sector, which I was told BMI operate on behalf of Lufthansa Italia. BMI seats have been removed, regular old style LH seats installed, complete with LH logos on the armrests, LH magazine in the pocket, and LH Italia headrest covers.

On landing, crew says "We appreciate you have a choice of airline", but tailed off before he said "we hope you fly with BMI again in the future...." Laugh? I nearly started....:}

Just wondered if anyone knows whether there will be any recruitment at bmi mainline this year? Heard they are a good bunch to work for and that the new owners are sorting things out. Are they over crewed, under crewed? What's the recruitment process like? Time to command?

Following last years redundancies, we have people waiting to come back from overseas. I'm told we also have a hold pool with people in it. As for time to command, we currently have demoted captains waiting to be reinstated as well as a lot of people ready for command. More info perhaps in the terms and endearments section?

Transatlantic Venture
 

Just seen this in flight global:

Austrian, BMI, Swiss to join Star transatlantic joint venture
By Kerry Reals


Lufthansa subsidiaries Austrian Airlines, British Midland International (BMI) and Swiss International Air Lines are to join the immunised transatlantic joint venture established in 2009 by their parent company and three of its Star Alliance partners.
A Lufthansa spokesman confirms that the three carriers will join the joint venture this summer "as sub-brands of Lufthansa, not as individual partners".
It has not been decided whether the three carriers will participate in the revenue-sharing portion of the joint venture, says the spokesman, adding that this "depends on the individual airlines".
Air Canada, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa and United Airlines received regulatory approval for the joint venture in 2009. It was established to rival a similar arrangement between Delta Air Lines and its SkyTeam partners.


I wonder if the A330 returning from Turkey will be operating any flights from LHR??