When is BMI not BMI?
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When is BMI not BMI?
Hello everyone, my first thread opener here, so please go easy on me!
I recently flew BD 3257 LHR-TXL, and like many other Diamond Club gold card holders I'm sure, was looking forward to a rare opportunity to use one of my upgrade vouchers that I still have knocking around at the end of the membership year. (Which was really why I booked BD this time and not BA.) I was told at check in that the voucher was certainly valid for the flight, and that the upgrade would take place at the gate, subject to availability. The guy at the check in counter made a call to clarify this. On arriving at the gate I explained this to the agent who took the voucher, growled a curt 'no' without a suggestion of eye contact, and flicked it back across the counter at me. (Would that be BAA staff...?) Anyway, the point is that the ticket was purchased on the BMI website as a BMI flight, with no mention of it being LH operated or codeshared. I even checked just now - when you book LHR-TXL and roll the mouse over the flight number it clearly says "operated by BMI", unlike most other German routes on the BMI site which have "operated by LH." An A319 which said BD on the outside but was LH on the inside flew the route, and was staffed by BD flight/cabin crew who each made announcements which included the words 'welcome aboard this BMI operated flight'. (And I listened very carefully...)
Just to be clear, I'm not that bothered about the upgrade, I'm more interested in what the deal is here. Did I travel BD or LH, and whose rules applied? It's just a bit confusing when one set of ground staff tell you one thing, then another tell you something different. Anyone from BMI got clues?
I recently flew BD 3257 LHR-TXL, and like many other Diamond Club gold card holders I'm sure, was looking forward to a rare opportunity to use one of my upgrade vouchers that I still have knocking around at the end of the membership year. (Which was really why I booked BD this time and not BA.) I was told at check in that the voucher was certainly valid for the flight, and that the upgrade would take place at the gate, subject to availability. The guy at the check in counter made a call to clarify this. On arriving at the gate I explained this to the agent who took the voucher, growled a curt 'no' without a suggestion of eye contact, and flicked it back across the counter at me. (Would that be BAA staff...?) Anyway, the point is that the ticket was purchased on the BMI website as a BMI flight, with no mention of it being LH operated or codeshared. I even checked just now - when you book LHR-TXL and roll the mouse over the flight number it clearly says "operated by BMI", unlike most other German routes on the BMI site which have "operated by LH." An A319 which said BD on the outside but was LH on the inside flew the route, and was staffed by BD flight/cabin crew who each made announcements which included the words 'welcome aboard this BMI operated flight'. (And I listened very carefully...)
Just to be clear, I'm not that bothered about the upgrade, I'm more interested in what the deal is here. Did I travel BD or LH, and whose rules applied? It's just a bit confusing when one set of ground staff tell you one thing, then another tell you something different. Anyone from BMI got clues?
Join Date: Mar 2003
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If BMI upgrades are anything like BMI miles then the standard answer to a request for redemption is "no".
I think you are supposed to collect them, not use them.....
I think you are supposed to collect them, not use them.....
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This type of confusion is going to happen more frequently as part of the Lufthansa "family" flying. Bmi operate the flights on behalf of Lufthansa and very soon you are going to see SN Brussels aircraft operating LHR/BRU and a mixture of LX & BD aircraft operating LHR/GVA.....confused...you will be 
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I think this is actually a LH flight but operated by BMI. BMI codeshare with LH on this service hence you booking a ticket on their website.
Do you recall if it was BMI staff at the gate? They would have been in BMI uniform, if it was a LH flight the staff would have been from MENZIES.
Do you recall if it was BMI staff at the gate? They would have been in BMI uniform, if it was a LH flight the staff would have been from MENZIES.
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Star Alliance
More than willing to be corrected if wrong but I am pretty sure that 'Diamond Club' priveledges / rewards should be accepted for fellow Airlines in the star alliance (particularily the one that actually owns BMI for goodness sake), surely that is at the end of the day what interlining is?? 
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Thanks everyone for your replies/tips. The staff at the gate were not in BMI uniform, and Menzies does ring a bell now you mention it... The cabin crew certainly were in BMI uniform but were handing out Lufthansa catering. I did check again on the BMI site, and all the indications are that you're booking BMI for this route - no mention of LH codeshare, just the words "operated by BMI."
I travel a lot for work, but not really to the Stans or Middle East. Maybe I should just switch to a more compatible Star Alliance FF scheme. Lufthansa, perhaps...
I travel a lot for work, but not really to the Stans or Middle East. Maybe I should just switch to a more compatible Star Alliance FF scheme. Lufthansa, perhaps...
