could bmi lose more pax ?

[max magic]

From Business Traveller Magazine :

Thousands of Bmi passengers transitting Heathrow next month face longer and more difficult journeys.
From August 1, the airline says that in order to save money it will withdraw through check facilities for passengers using separate tickets.
Both business and leisure travellers carry separate tickets from time to time in a bid to travel more cheaply. In addition, certain corporate "route deals" prohibit the inclusion of Bmi connecting flights.

The new policy applies to passengers connecting at Heathrow from one Bmi flight to another as well as other carriers. It also includes code-share services. Through check facilities will only be offered to passengers holding a single ticket for their flights.
It means that a passenger flying say, from Edinburgh to Milan (Bmi throughout) or from Teeside to Chicago (Bmi to United) will have to claim his or her bags at Heathrow and check-in again for the onward flight. This process could add hours to the transfer time. It also means that passengers who miss connections will not be entitled to any compensation.

A Bmi spokesperson told Business Traveller, "It's part of our new business model at Heathrow [where Bmi is converting to a no-frills airline] and it's basically a cost issue. With the greater availability of lower fares, more passengers have been combining two cheap tickets to save money [rather than buy a through ticket]. In some cases, the cost of dealing with passengers [in terms of compensation and staff time] who miss connections is higher than what their ticket cost."

At Heathrow Star Alliance member Bmi feeds travellers to over 12 fellow carriers.
Says a major Star carrier, "Everyone's affected by this move. It's a decision made by Bmi in the interests of cutting costs. But it's not for us to comment on the way Bmi runs its business."

One of the passenger benefits of Star Alliance was to offer simpler journeys with one-stop check-in. Doesn't Bmi's move go against the spirit of the alliance?
Says a Star spokesperson, "We fully understand the needs of our members, in this case, Bmi, to react to changing market conditions. Because the majority of passengers transferring from Bmi to a Star carrier will hold a single ticket, these customers will continue to enjoy through check-in. Star Alliance will monitor the situation and hold further consultations with Bmi should it become necessary."

But there is a glimmer of hope. Adds Bmi, "We will take an open mind on this decision. If the rules need changing, we'll adjust them."

[Fuzzy112]

bmi are offering a 'low cost product' to those pax who want a 'low cost' experience. What they are doing is no different to any other low cost carrier. Easyjet and all the other low cost outfits do not offer through ticketing / check in. bmi have used the slogan 'low cost without the low cost expectations'. Now you have low cost with all the low cost expectations of poor customer service etc. You get what you pay for. Pay a fiver and you will get a fivers worth of service. bmi are doing the same as everyone else. There are going to be big problems implementing the new business plan. There are going to be different types of customers on the same flight who are going to be subject to different customer service expectations.

The fact is that Star Alliance transit passengers have drastically reduced over the last few years. This move addresses the needs of all the passengers who just want to fly from A to B with no frills. I hope it is a success.

[MarkD]

perhaps bmi should examine why a through ticket costs more than two separates, rather than less as it should, since transit pax generally pay lower airport fees. :hmm:

[lexxity]

The through check issue is fair enough, BA have had the same policy for about 18months.
This is one area that has been really thought through and I for one hope it does work and saves money.

[RevMan2]

Please help me to understand this - bmi promotes itself as the pioneer of modular pricing and then penalises customers who take advantage of exactly trhis business model?
If bmi's passengeres are consistently missing connections, it's either
a) because they're generating duff connections or
b) have slack punctuality.
Don't tell me that a through-check costs more than processing pax and bags twice at check-in.

[lexxity]

It's actually the cost of transferring bags at LHR and repatrating mis-connected bags that bmi are trying to reduce, these are some serious costs that by IATA rules are accepted by the last carrier.
That's why thru checking will only be done on thru-tickets, at least the costs are covered in that sort of ticket, whereas your £4.00/sector ticket doesn't.

[tallseabird]

What happens if you are checking in at say ORD for an AA flight to LHR and you are holding a BMI ticket for LHR to EDI and you just ask the check-in agent if you can thru check-in, I have found that they are happy to do so. I would have though that as they are 2 seperate tickets it couldn't be done, but it can - what is going to stop this?

[lexxity]

Apparentley, the bods at DH have bombarded all other carriers asking them not to thru check onto BD if the pax holds seperate tickets. BD will also not deliver bags out if they are checked thru on seperate tickets and need to be repatriated.