No new route for 3rd bmi A330

[flyingfrog]

It has been decided that bmi will not be finding a new route for the 3rd A330 currently in storage at MAN.

bmi were looking at operating to Boston, but have decided that it is to much of a risk to start up a new route, in the current climate.

It is about time the government got its A**E into gear and disposed of the bermuda II agreement at LHR.

Come on Mr Blair, let the competition in to LHR. Lets get ticket prices down on transatlantic routes, and get some of the unfortunate, jobless airline staff back into work.

[bjghi3]

I have heard that there is a chance that there will at least some negotiations between the US and UK sometime this summer. That will follow a goodwill gesture that the UK will offer towards more access to LHR. A gesture that will remain regardless of how the openskies talks go. I also see that BMI is recruiting people at LHR.
I have long felt that the reason that BMI does not use the 3rd pland and soon the 4th one is that this gives them more options should a breakthrough come in the openskies. This way no service would have to canceled etc to use the aircraft for flights from LHR.

[MAXIMOL]

There is already over capacity at LHR on transatlantic routes. Far from increasing jobs I think letting the US carriers have more access to LHR would lead, in the end, to job losses as the US airlines will subsidise their flights to this destination. The likes of BA, VS and BM would be the loosers.

[jongar]

if open skies is the only way to get BMI and other carriers access to LHR and reduce the ridiculous fares ex LHR, then great, but if you are going to increase competiton dont allow the BA/AA integration

[Hand Solo]

So open skies will reduce fares ex-LHR, the same airport where you can get to JFK for £179 pretty much any time you care to? Open skies will only reduce fares to the US further by permitting capacity dumping by the big US carriers (now subsidised heavily by Uncle Sam) until the likes of Virgin, BMI and eventually BA lose so much cash they're forced to withdraw from the N.Atlantic market, then the prices go sky high again. Do you really think any British carrier can compete on unfair terms with the American giants dumping cheap seats and vast cargo capacity on the routes? Get real! And what do the Americans get as a reward for their protectionist stance? Yeah thats right, a 'gesture' by the UK. Well all they have to do is keep hanging on for more gestures and soon they'll have everything they want without conceding a thing to the UK. If you really think open skies will help BMI, then tell me where they'll find all the slots at LHR? Remember the US wanted equivalent to half of all BAs transatlantic slots to be handed over to US carriers only. I think you'll find there'll be a mad scramble to gather what remaining slots there are left and BMI are going to be trampled in the rush.

[Ringwayman]

I wouldn't be surprised if bmi prune their short-haul routes at LHR to provide slots for the long-haul routes.

[Young Paul]

Regardless of whether open skies is negotiated, there are no free slots at LHR.

There might be overcapacity on NAT routes from LHR, but there is no competition in the high yield market. Prices are the same from all four carriers - and substantially higher than eg from FRA.

[checkthrust]

BMI are to start extra rotations to chicago with the A330. Can only be a good thing.

[fadec_primary_channel]

Checkthrust, interesting info indeed. The plan to increase the IAD rotations recently bit the dust so what reason do they have to increase ORD? Will it use the 3rd A/C as I think they have to for maintenance purposes, or is there another plan. Last I heard the plan was to reduce costs even further on the fleet not increase them? Perhaps you could furnish us with further info?