BMI to lose 321`s and pull out of BHD

[5415N]

Just a rumour , but was told recently by a BMI duty manager at LHR that the LHR/BHD route was to be reviewed as the yeild was not comming up to forcast . One of the options being considered was pulling off the route altogether . Also BMI are considering giving back the 321`s in favour of more 319`s as the only route that they are usually full is BHD , hence the reason that they havn`t been repainted in the new colours .

This all could be just a rumour but the whole thing has lots of parrells with the run up the BA pulling out of BFS . I don`t work for BMI but commute with them and find them excellant . If this is true Belfast loses out on LHR tranfers and it makes it v.hard for me to go to work .

Any news would be apprec.

[akerosid]

I would think DUB produces pretty good A321 loads as well, but that said, EI is also said to be giving up on A321s as well.

If BMI were to pull off the Belfast route (either BFS or BHD), it would be quite a surprise; if they are filling 321s, then 319s or 320s should not be a problem - and at better yields. Presumably the reason the 321s are disappointing is that they have to sell a significant number of seats at bargain prices to achieve satisfactory loads.

As for ending Belfast-LHR altogether, the political reaction to this in NI would be vocal and HMG would be under intense pressure to find someone to keep it going. One possibility might be EI, although I think given the choice of flying EI to LHR from BFS, one good reverend might rather swimming and cycling ;)

[5415N]

I agree it would be a surprise but so was BA`s decsion when it pulled off . As for the political reaction , many people will say that BFS/BHD is still well linked to LON with a variety of british airlines

[BFS/BHD]

But its not linked up with the biggest and most popular.

[MarkD]

EI is also said to be giving up on A321s as well

Since when, akerosid?

[NWSRG]

Hope this isn't true. Only last year BMI had their 321s modified (software upgrades?) to allow fuller operation from BHD.

...and if BMI do pull out, would that leave an opportunity for the new slimline short-haul BA (complete with LoCo prices) to make a re-appearance? And would they take it?

[EGAC_Ramper]

I'd certainly be surprised as BHD-LHR is supposeldy BMI's most popular route.Bear in mind aswell they have a complete monopoly to LHR aswell.Doubt they would drop the route myself specially seen as they have a daily flight to Belfast using an A320 so as they can keep the slot for Heathrow.


Regards

[5415N]

BFS/BHD

I seem to remember that easyjet is a bigger operator and is the No 1 carrier out of belfast



I'd certainly be surprised as BHD-LHR is supposeldy BMI's most popular route

However in this age of yeild and revenue management popular does not equal profitable ( no matter what the rest of us think )

PS the upgrades for the 321 where paid by airbus under the terms of the operators lease

[EGAC_Ramper]

Aswell as that though in business just because one "business" is not performing as the other "businesses" closure of the failing one will then lead the others to trouble,as even though it is loosing it provides a financial contribution to the whole business as a whole.Wow I do remember some of my business studies!!:ok: Lol.

[eastern wiseguy]

Maybe if they were to be able to operate the flights so that people could have a FULL day in London or further afield (the last departure from LHR is 1935...doesn't do a lot for connecting from Europe) then they might be better placed.As Bhd have said that they will NOT be pursuing the later opening times it would appear that they could consider a move back up the road........enter Allmcc stage left :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[akerosid]

WW mentioned that EI might give up on 321s, Mark D. This was within the past few months - in fact, around the time the first of the new tranche of A320s was delivered.

With regard to Belfast having links to a number of UK airports, I really don't think that would hold water; the same thing was said about JER, when BA took our flights away. That's all well and good, but it's still a long, dull journey on the bus along the M25, which can often be a lengthy, delayed and tedious experience.

It's quite easily arguable that NI's economy could be badly hit by this. As I said, the political reaction to any proposal to cut routes would be pretty vocal.

[keepitlit]

ha!,
Why would they pull of the best domestic/european route the company has.



:O :O :O :O

rgds

K.I.L.

[MarkD]

akerosid

thanks for that - hadn't heard it. Thought they might rip out the midgalleys for a few extra seats instead.

[Tower Ranger]

5415n
Easyjet is indeed the largest carrier in NI but it neither operates out of Belfast nor operates into Heathrow. This is one of the reasons the Bhd-Lhr route is so succesful and I think if you investigate further you may find that the first morning dep is often oversubscribed with a high percentage buisness pax.

Eastern, nice to see you`re doing youre bit for the tree huggers by recycling old an worn out posts!! You have to leave us something to play with.

[eastern wiseguy]

Leave you something to play with.....I will not make any innuendos:E :E

As for Easyjet not flying from Belfast!! C'mon!!!

The principle reason the Bmi service is so popular is simply because it the ONLY one!!..even if it does get everyone home early .....:ok: (last night excepted of course!!)

[5415N]

Tower R .
the vast majority of the eary mornig deps out of NI are quite full , not just BMI . Also a lot of the LHR pax are on company tickets , paid as a coporate rate which is less than the standard pax rate , again in this word pax numbers do not always equal profit . Each route is assessed over the whole spectrum and just because the yeild is high on one flt does not mean it is so for the whole route .
The average yeild on the 1st bfs/lhr ( when BA where here) was on average 79-87%

5415N

[Smokie]

Ah! I'm sure Uncle Jim will be able to accomodate all those Biz pax on our Q400s.

That's if they can endure a 1hr 15 mim Bone Crunching sector or two.

It's the way forward you know.












The future's Gloomy. The future's Q400 shaped.......................

[ALLMCC]

Obviously BMI are not alone judging by press releases from both Easyjet & Ryanair this week - both are reporting increased passenger nos and increasing pressure on yields - does this mean they are going to start ditching any routes where yields fall short of forecasts? If so, that would mean a subtantial number of routes could disappear simply because they are not performing as well as expected.

Surely it is possible to revise forecasts which might have been too optimistic to begin with!

[5415N]

ALLMCC ,


I think you are making the mistake of thinking that airline management are capable of applying common sense and logical solutions to problems

[elgan]

When i flew down to LHR from MAN on a Saturday 3 weeks ago, my A321 was full, with only a few seats empty!

[5415N]

my A321 was full, with only a few seats empty!:confused:

so it wasn`t full

[Barbara Cassani]

I think you will find it's all to do with this tentitive agreement that Flybe, Bmi, and Bmi baby have. There is almost certainly to be some sort of merger between the two companies (flybe & Bmi baby) and a consolidation of routes. This is probably the start. From what I hear any official announcement will not come untill the new year but alot of the routes will be swapped and changed from this winter.

[flyer2308]

the rumour here at baby is that we gunna be gettin the 321's!

fantastic i love airbus

x

[Smokie]

If the merger goes a head, I'm sure the "Baby Crews" will be delighted with their looming pay cut..................
Coz they sure as hell ain't gonna increase ours.

Happy New Year!!

[ATIS]

Smokie I think I saw the same vision in my Krystal ball.

With Baby moving into BHX. Me thinks its only a matter of time b4 Flybe end up code sharing on their long haul routes into Spain and beyond.

Flybe will then roll out the red carpet for Baby at SOU, cos the spanish routes are just begging for a larger a/c, and Flybe can code share on those.

As a result goodbye 146's. And we'll be golden booted up the jacksy onto the "Super Dash".

I think I better start genning up on the Q400 manual.

[Smokie]

Ah! the ole sold down the river scam.....









Mene, mene, taekel ufazen.

( not edited for spelling, but you get the drift anyway)





Where are those used razor blades.............................................?