bmi to pop the A330 on LHR-MAN?

[ThomasTank]

bmi are planning to use the spanking new A330 on their LHR-MAN route next week from the 2nd May.

Does anyone know where they are planning to park the a/c in MAN? Stand 18 - the usual is too small, as are stands 1-17 domestic... so does this mean a long long coach ride for pax? They may as well drop them off in Staff West and let them scale the fence.

Does anyone know if the A330's will be lending a hand on any other bmi routes before transatlantic start-up??

[160to4DME]

The 330 will do 2 of the MAN-LHR rotations each day before carrying out 2 proving flights to the US, prior to commencement of revenue flights.
They'll be using stand 14 at the end of pier 'B' for the domestics.
There are no plans to use the aircraft on any other routes other than those stated.

[160to4DME]

And I forgot to say, stands 23 and 27 have been allocated for the transatlantics.

[OC41]

BMi 330 Base Trng at EMA Sat 28 April, nice machine / colours

[Electric Sky]

Saw the bmi A330 at EMA today doing circuits and bumps. Looks very impressive. As previously mentioned it will do a few MAN-LHR rotations next week before it goes back to TLS to have the seating reconfigured. There are no plans to put it on any other short haul routes.

[fuzzy15]

I suspect it will make more money out of LHR-MAN than Washington - only time will tell but the company are giving away tickets to try and get the numbers up !

[euroboy]

Mates of mine at bmi have told me that there is a Staff Embargo on the transatlantic routes cause its going to be so busy!

[160to4DME]

<< I suspect it will make more money out of LHR-MAN than Washington - only time will tell but the company are giving away tickets to try and get the numbers up ! >>

Really ??

Bookings for May - Sept are already over 60%, in all classes, which isn't bad for a service which hasn't even started yet.

It's also encouraging that a high proportion of bookings are continuing on beyond IAD on United.

Perhaps this could be the beginning of a greater presence of Star Alliance at MAN..?

I also think a smattering of freebie tickets is a damn good advertising ploy, personally.

Well done to BMI for showing BA that life doesn't necessarily end north of the M25.

[Capt Chambo]

If they do use it on the domestics, where will they park it at LHR?

There are precious few domestic stands at Terminal 1 that could handle an aircraft the size of an A330, and stand Bravo 6 is unusable at the moment as well.

[justinzider]

Heard the A330 will also do some Dublin rotations before going across the pond.

[E. MORSE]

Positioned last week AMS-LHR on bmi and did some reading in their magazine.
Think it is a very nice and friendly company !

Rememeber an article a year or 2 ago they were looking for either 767 or A330 for transatlantic expansion

Good luck on your Transatlantic routes.
I am sure it will work perfectly with those shiny new airbusses !

cheers

:)

[Tom the Tenor]

There is also a good rumour that as EI have now three A330-200s available that one aircraft will shortly be introduced on the DUB-LHR sector and if this is the case what a nice line up of A330s you will get at Heathrow with the BMI, Swissair and EI series 200s. Nice.

[BOEINGBOY1]

think you will find that the a/c is only doing the man-lhr flights for crew training purposes and to increase numbers of sectors flown.

------------------
IT'S BETTER TO BE ON THE GROUND, WISHING YOU WERE IN THE AIR - THAN IT IS TO BE IN THE AIR, WISHING YOU WERE ON THE GROUND !

[160to4DME]

BB1, you are, of course, quite correct :)

[Temp Hi]

...and we are certainly looking forward to welcome bmi and their A330-200 on the SK-lease operating CPH-EWR :)

[Ramp van]

Next week it is scheduled to do LHR/ MAN & MAN /LHR on Tues 1/5/01 Flight
numbers:
BD581 / 588/ 591 /594 before positioning MAN/TLS as BD9911 for another week.

BD9521 Tues 8/5/01 TLS/MAN
BD4001 Wed 9th MAN/MAN
BD4701 Thurs 10th MAN/IAD
BD4702 Fri 11th IAD/MAN

[Ramp van]

Temp Hi
The Airbus leased to SAS should arrive at
CPH on the 8th and then start operating on
domestic routes CPH/ARN 10/5 & 11/5

[Electric Sky]

Just a quick update!
The A330 is training again at EMA today (Sun). The aircraft leased to SAS to operate CPH-EWR will be in Star Alliance colour scheme.

[Mooney]

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=158361

A photo of BMIs new toy! Looks good in their new colours!

[Juliet November]

Ramp van,

ARN is Stockholm in Sweden, CPH is Copenhagen in Denmark. Hardly what I'd call domestic travel.

Anyway, how long will the Bmi A332 operate for SK ?

DT

[Ramp van]

Juliet November,

I've no idea how long SAS have the a/c, possibly until they get their 340's.

P.S. Does that make LHR-GLA an international flight :)

[747-436]

As BMI haven't got pond crossing rights from LHR I heard they will be doing LHR-MAN-Washington and back with them. Quite clever way to do it. Pick up the people who want to use the servcie from London on the way

[Electric Sky]

SAS have leased the aircraft for 1 year until there own new Airbuses arrive.

Operating LHR-MAN-IAD/ORD was considered as an option but for the forseeable future the aircraft will be just operating ex MAN to the US. BMI already have a regular service of flights LHR-MAN which pax can use to connect onward.

[160to4DME]

<< As BMI haven't got pond crossing rights from LHR I heard they will be doing LHR-MAN-Washington and back with them. Quite clever way to do it. Pick up the people who want to use the servcie from London on the way >>

The 330s are doing MAN-LHR next week ONLY, prior to commencement of transatlantic service ex MAN.

[fuzzy15]

Quote "Really ??

Bookings for May - Sept are already over 60%, in all classes, which isn't bad for a service which hasn't even started yet." Unquote

FACT, on the first flights there are no more than 25 to 30pax - doesn't sound like 60% to me. If one of the STAR partners block buys 30% of the seats but has no bums to put on them then I would not include this amount in the total - would you ?

[Silkman]

fuzzy15
According to Shares the transatlantics are selling very well.The booked loads are indeed 60% + on the first few weeks that i checked.
GWWBM to MAN 30th April for stand 23 eta 1145.Pax to be coached ex gate 18 for LHR.
GWWBD ex TLS to MAN 04th May.a/c in Star Alliance c/s.Will dep to CPH on 07th May.
GWWBB expected at MAN on 06th June.
The LHR services will use stand 23 if available with pax coached to/from T3,if unavailable, stand 12.

[Doors to Automatic]

747 - With 7 non-stops on the LHR-IAD run who in their right mind would fly via MAN even if such a service were available. This is before we even mention the cost side of the equation!

[747-436]

Just what I heard that they might run LHR-MAN-IAD. Maybe not then. Some insane peeps might go that way, if they like BD that much

[dick badcock]

The SK B767 crews are only happy to give away CPH-EWR (SK901-902, the late ones) to the BMI A330, as it is by far the cr@ppiest sector on their roster. Interesting point though, who will be in charge? The BMI captain or the rated SK captain?

[Speedbird744]

Are BMI going to introduce transatlantic services from LHR instead of MAN???

[Barney]

Not at the moment. There is currently a restriction on which airlines are allowed to operate flights from LHR to the US. This is known as the Bermuda II agreement. Only BA, Virgin, AA, and UAL are allowed to operate from LHR to the states. There has been a great deal in the press recently about trying to secure an 'open skies agreement'. bmi are at the head of a 'make the air fair' campaign to end this 'legalised cartel'.

For more info, have a look at:
http://www.maketheairfair.com/

Hope this helps.

Barney

[halo]

We've had the BMI A330 into Heathrow this morning. The new colours look surprisingly nice on a large aircraft!!

[160to4DME]

Flew MAN-LHR-MAN

Luvverley aeroplane.......and no haemorrhoids or Des Lynam, thank God...(if you haven't seen the adverts, you wont know what the hell I'm going on about. :)

[Electric Sky]

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=159712

Just for anyone that hasn't seen it yet.