View Full Version : bmi British Midland - Not Coming to Saudi After All......
A300Man-2005
17th May 2005, 09:23
BD has postponed the start of services to RUH for one year, due to a lack of necessary approvals from the Saudi authorities. It seems that amidst attempts to iron out the problems, the whole thing has started more wrangling, to the point where bmi are on the verge of ditching the whole idea.
Seems strange that they didn't sort all this out before announcing the route!
Wonder what will happen to the A332 that was allocated to LHR to ply the routes? Maybe the FI 752 will be going back home early.........
Pontious
17th May 2005, 10:01
I bet the Midland crews are relieved about that one! I wouldn't like to go to any part of that sh1thole!
Let them stick to partying in Washington, Vegas and some Carribean Islands.
:ok:
airmemphis
17th May 2005, 10:38
Ahh, the great planning of BMI. Even though I think they're a pretty good airline they seem to have a knack for messing things about lately. I really hoped they'd make a real go out of MAN long haul flights...
As for that A332 at LHR, it'll still be used on the new flights to India.
Pontious, watch you're language and show some resect. FYI there are around 35,000 Brits residing/working in KSA who would like an alternative to SV when flying back home.
max magic
28th May 2005, 13:54
the reason why bmi is a pretty good airline is because there are some pretty good people working for them but the management have yet to recognise that !!
As of Aug 1st bmi will be ( reading in between the lines of a recent memo ) low cost airline, and a massive expansion plan of..... wait for it....... 1 ...yes 1 A330 a year for the next 3 years !!!
As for bmi management, 2 phrases spring to mind :
Dont know their arse from their elbow, and something about a piss up in a brewery :=
StressFree
29th May 2005, 18:10
Pontius,
Agree fully - more please !!!!!!!
The fact that 35k UK citizens live there doesn't change anything....a hole is a hole.
:}
dai chon doi
31st May 2005, 17:51
pontious if its not even a sh1thole its at best where they stick the tube. just because 35000 unfortunates live there changes naught
crazy_max
11th Jun 2005, 13:14
I am one of the thousands here(the ****hole).
And, yes it is a ****hole....No disrespect in stating the truth.
True, flying Saudia also sucks the big one.
Kazakhstan
23rd Jun 2005, 15:12
Hi,
I used to live in Saudi from 1980 - 1993. I was only a baby when we moved my Father set up a FBO in Jeddah. We lived in Saudia City which was nice before moving into a villa.
I loved Saudi as that I all I pretty much knew. The Red Sea was great and we had a life of luxury.
Had a nice house with servants, drivers, pool house, we used to get invited on Mobil's luxury motor yaught and their sea side villas.
There used to be all sorts of parties around peoples houses and embassies. People brewed their own which was good and had a laught.
Things have changed a lot since they kicked a lot of expats out and replaced them with Saudi workers but it can't be that bad surely.
I miss a lot of the friends that I made out there and I was a fun place to grow up. Much more of a freindly atmosphere amongst the Expats.
Some BMI appear to believe that they will start operations in September using an A321....
Mutt.
newswatcher
24th Jun 2005, 12:06
bmi site still shows schedule entries commencing 1/9/05, out Tues, Thur, Sun day flight(09:35/17:50), back Mon, Wed, Fri early morning(00:40/05:40). Aircraft shown as A330-200.
Pontious
24th Jun 2005, 15:30
Airmemphis
I'll say what I like, you see as a citizen of the free world I'm entitled to my opinion which is based upon experience living in the middle east and it is free of censorship so stick your 'advice' where you hide your bacon sandwiches. My comments will have no bearing upon who does and does not operate services to and from Saudi'. And Saudi Arabia is a ****hole. If you don't like where you work, work somewhere else If you don't like what I write, read something else.
Allright my son?
:ok:
dai chon doi
27th Jun 2005, 06:13
pontious
good old boy, couldn't agree more. the place is pants
camel trader
28th Jun 2005, 14:47
Well it's all true after all. bmi have just announced they're starting the route September 1st 2005, three times a week using an Airbus 330-200.
BMI are starting flights to Riyadh on September 1st according to a press release from their website:
flybmi (http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/aboutbmi/presscentre/pressreleases.aspx?year=2005&rid=705)
So guess this makes the topic incorrect ay! :)
GOH
Good for them, I wonder how much money they will lose in the first 6 months!!! Riyadh - London is a seasonal route, it doesnt make sense to start the route at the end of the busiest season!
I just hope that this route has more to do with keeping the LHR slot than economics!
Mutt.
camel trader
29th Jun 2005, 00:01
The word is they've been asked to do the route by the British government in response to the lack of UK carriers serving Saudi Arabia. In return, bmi will be given more favourable treatment with regard to future long haul allocation of slots. It makes sense as it's a pretty bold destination as your second route from LHR. Mind you, I don't think this was in the company's original strategy for launching long haul operations from Heathrow.