I don't think BA will replace all of the 734s yet but I can see possibly a few of the BMI A319's joining the LGW fleet for expansion but nothing massive as far as LGW shorthaul is concerned!

Also the 734's have all had newer seats installed (from the 757's) recently so its only really the fitting's which show the age of them. To be perfectly honest based on what I saw when I flew on one earlier this year 95% of people would probably notice no real difference between the 734 and the far younger A321 which I flew out on from LHR!!

As you say how are they going to be branded? Lets not forget Ba regional was making a loss with Embraer 145's so surely without being part of a bigger company (BMI) such an operation will be doomed. Still think Eastern Airways would be a good match.

I was surprised at how many of bmi's aircraft are leased. I think the bmi aircraft will be returned to the lessors as and when long-haul capacity is added at LHR.

I don't think leased aircraft will go to LGW, it will add a lot of costs compared to fully depreciated 737s.

BA are going to be getting shot of their 737's in the not too distant future. Mainly due to the cost of upgrading them to the new legislation coming in with regard to avionics.

What's this about? They're getting rid of them because they'll be over twenty years old by the time they're parked in 2014. That's end of life for most short haul aircraft.

Tell that to Lufthansa!

20 years old has naff all to do with it. If the aircraft are still serviceable and paid for, then why replace them unless you are forced to? DLH are spending millions on their 73 classics for example.

In the next few years though there will be a massive shift from older aircraft, particularly 73 classics. CPDLC, ADS-B etc are on their way and Boeing don't have solutions to these things yet.
Even for the NG's they're struggling.

Older 73's have numerous issues on the horizon, the avionics are just one of the issues, there are mechanical issues too and structural ones as well.

Add that in with the new regs on the way in regard to avionics, then older B737's are going to crash in value very shortly.

This sounds slightly contradictory, but it's not the age that's the issue, it's how they've been used and what kit they have on them at the moment that's the key to their use in the future.

Flypuppy, I wasn't being despondent, more realistic since the outfit I'm with are struggling and we have a barely a 50/50 chance of being in business this time next year.
I'd be more optimistic if it weren't for the same old faces coming back to 'run' it like the ghosts of Christmas Past.
All you need is mad Bill to return from the Orient and all the jokers would be back in the pack.
I wish you all the best for Christmas and the future.

Judging by the booming industry in parting-out a/c I could imagine BA's 734s might actually be worth more broken up than for sale.

LD12986 Did you not mean fully dilapidated? ;)

SGC

I have my fingers crossed, but every time someone describes a small, wholly independent airline formed by a management buyout using regional jets, I can't help but think of one word: Duo.

I wish them all the best, but I remain pessimistic.

If BA have to take Regional and Baby as well .....

Regional sold on to Flybe; Baby sold on to Easy.

Maybe.

The Regional deal is all but done, so I don't think IAG will have to worry about it. As for Baby, it seems as if things might be nearing conclusion too.

Though, as with anything in business, nothing is sorted until the money is in the bank. This goes for the IAG deal as well. All that's been signed is an SPA. This is the same as Regional. Many a deal has fallen apart later than that.

I'd be surprised if it happened, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

Any idea who is looking to buy regional and baby?

Regional has already been well covered on here. I don't think I want to say who the interested parties are in Baby. It hasn't been released officially and until it is, I won't mention it.

No worries mate! Sensitive issue!

With respect I'd trust IAG on this, rather than a newspaper. IAG are the ones involved in the deal.

Duo, fell down when an investor pulled out at a somewhat inopportune moment, and killed cash flow stone dead.

I am not sure comparisons between bmiRegional and Duo are either helpful or relevant.

which is exactly what could happen here, so entirely relevant. Theyre are many similarities which dont need going over again

The fact is that 99% of bmir route network from LHR is already covered by BA, so come the end of next Summers programe they will likely be gone. I think feeds from regional airports to SN & Lufthansa hubs will probably continue and this regionals future, I would not be surprised to see Lufthansa retain a stake in Regional in much the same way BA have in Flybe 15%?

For the future to compete with Flybe they need either bigger jets or turboprops I think a merger with Eastern is the most likely outcome within two years.

The prospective new owners are buying an established business, but with alot of issues that you would associate with a new startup.

What loyalty if any Lufthansa will have to it is sketchy.

Bmi wasn't exactly a well run parent company but it had a well recognised brand and some standing in the industry, which will have benefited regional.

On its own, regional is a collection of less efficient aircraft and a patchwork quilt of routes. Very vulnerable to attack from Flybe.

Eastern have adapted over the past few years, more corporate/charter non scheduled routes, while retaining a backbone of niche profitable routes, partly driven to avoid a turf war with the likes of Flybe, who have deeper pockets and can sustain a route price war.

Regional will have to adapt in order to survive.

There is a current contract with Brussels Airlines keeping a 145 based at NCL to operated 3 daily rotations to Brussels, presumably that will continue.