Fly bmi

[Aviador]

Re: bmi

Clutching at straws yes, but it could be a hint the the remaining BMI Regional services at Leeds could be on the verge of transferring to Flybe? On the otherhand, could we see a change of tactics by BMI / Lufty?

 

[White Heather]

Re: bmi

Rmac I hope you are right. You didn't say where you had seen these schedules? I hope it wasn't the LBA timetables on line, 'cos they have not been updated for next summer and remain full of complete nonsense. At the moment, they are still showing flights operating as they were last summer, which is plainly rediculous and very unhelpful to passengers. If , however, you saw this on the BMi web site, then hopefully it may happen. After all, the pasenger numbers appear no better, and possibly worse, since the aircraft moved to EDI and GLA

 

[lbaspotter]

Re: bmi

Hi

bmi british midland will be making some minor changes to there LBA flights times and numbers as of tomorrow, Friday, January 1st 2010.

All bmi regional flights will go from a 3 digit flight number to a 4 digit number as a number 1 will be put in front of all flight numbers.

So here’s a list to all the existing umbers with the new ones listed along side with the new flight times..

LBA-BRU 06:30 – 08:45 BD611 = BD1611 E135
BRU-LBA 09:50 – 10:10 BD612 = BD1612 E135
LBA-BRU 12:25 – 14:40 BD613 = BD1613 E135
BRU-LBA 15:45 – 16:05 BD614 = BD1614 E135
LBA-BRU 16:35 – 18:45 BD615 = BD1615 E135
BRU-LBA 20:20 – 20:40 BD616 = BD1616 E135

EDI-LBA 07:00 – 08:00 BD404 = BD1404 E135
LBA-EDI 08:30 – 09:25 BD403 = BD1403 E135
EDI-LBA 17:45 – 18:40 BD408 = BD1410 E135
LBA-EDI 19:10 – 20:05 BD407 = BD1409 E135

GLA-LBA 07:00 – 07:55 BD292 = BD1292 E145
LBA-GLA 08:25 – 09:20 BD291 = BD1291 E145
GLA-LBA 17:20 – 18:15 BD298 = BD1298 E145
LBA-GLA 18:45 – 19:40 BD297 = BD1297 E145

 

[airbus]

Re: bmi

does eny one know where BD9731 arriving from and what aircraft will it be

 

[White Heather]

Re: bmi

There is a BD9773 due in to LBA from Graz this afternoon. Does anyone know if this is a charter or just a positioning flight for our based Embraer 135?

 

[Runway 32]

Re: bmi

Not quite sure White Heather although I noticed it on the depatures board last weekend too.

 

[backtrack]

Re: bmi

We had a bmi AGP in last week around this time also.

 

[lbia]

Re: bmi

I don't know if anyone else has noticed but the bmi E145 that frequents the departure boards now often parks in the pan or also adjacent to stand 18 on the taxiway. Seems tht bmi are parking the spare a/c at LBA and using LBA crews to operate charters.8

 

[Bigman]

Re: bmi

They did it again yeserday. We already had a 135 on the desk and then EMBJ turned up in the afternoon. I did later hear one being towed to the pan.

 

[pilot_737]

Re: bmi

Is stand 1 in use anymore?!

 

[backtrack]

Re: bmi

Is stand 1 in use anymore?!

Yes, it is usually used now for into wind parking for aircraft such as the Saab 2000 or any of the Manx2 fleet.

 

[Runway 32]

Re: bmi

Just read on another forum that leases on most of bmi's fleet will be extended and aircraft will recieve similar seating to what is already on Lufthansa Airbus aircraft. Sounds like Lufthansa have finally turned things round at bmi and realised their full potential. Lets hope that they also anounce similar exicting plans for bmi regional in the future.

On another point its good to see that after bmi pulled out of LBA-LHR route, they haven't pulled out of their other routes out of LBA. Its all gone very quite on the possibility of more German routes out of LBA. Considering Lufthansa's strong performance out of MAN I am very surprised that either bmi regional or Lufthansa hasn't commenced a route out of LBA to one of the major hubs in Germany.

 

[White Heather]

Re: bmi

Considering Lufthansa's strong performance out of MAN I am very surprised that either bmi regional or Lufthansa hasn't commenced a route out of LBA to one of the major hubs in Germany.

In my case I would say I am disappointed by this, but not surprised. Given that around 35% of the passengers using the MAN services are probably from the LBA catchment area, there would be a negative impact on their MAN routes if they came to LBA. It is easier for them to sit and do nothing unless they have a policy of expanding from Regional Airports to save their customers trecking long distances.
BMi Regional, left to their own devices would probably have done so, but I see no sign of Lufthansa moving away from their previous policy of operating mainly to larger airports sod the inconvenience to customers. Hopefully, once they have stabilised BMi, they may consider a change in this policy enabling the routes to Germany to finally come to fruition at LBA.

 

[Runway 32]

Re: bmi

I completly agree White Heather. Lufthansa do appear to only want to operate from the larger airports but they could learn a thing or two from the way how KLM operate out of the UK.

 

[rmac]

Re: bmi

They are probably quite happy for LBA traffic to use BRU.

If that is the case then surely there must be opening for Flybe at LBA. They are becoming more involved with Air France, eg new Edinburgh - CDG so might they consider a twice daily LBA - CDG service, and what about the often mentioned Frankfurt route? There must be a reasonable demand from Yorkshire for German cities for business travellers, plus long haul connections at CDG or FRA giving an alternative to AMS with KLM, or in deed with BRU and Bmi.

 

[White Heather]

Re: bmi

rmac, I suspect that 'they' as mentioned by Humberside, is Lufthansa/Bmi, so 'they' certainly won't want Flybe operating LBA - BRU, although I agree with your perception that there is room for more passengers on the route, provided there is interlining capability. In the days of Sabena, the route was very busy indeed and supported a 3 times daily (?) BAe146 service, but most of those passengers were transferring to long haul and booked through. I suspect very few of the BMi passengers are doing that now.

The demand for Frankfurt is definitely there and LBA know this. However, slots at FRA are hard to come by and as at Heathrow, their value tends to dictate that they are used on long haul routes or routes to major European airports. Even so, it is hard to understand why we have never managed to secure a service there in the history of LBA. Two years ago Tony Hallwood stated a service to FRA would be up and running very shortly, but it never happened and I suspect that this proposed service was to be operated by BMi Regional and was quickly dropped when Lufthansa became involved. Landing charges at FRA are likely to deter low cost airlines, so apart from BMi, that doesn't leave much really unless a german carrier decides to operate to LBA in addition to, or instead of MAN.

 

[lbia]

Re: bmi

My experinces of the passengers that use the bmi BRU service, the vast majority are connecting onto further flights. The point to point traffic has dwindled, I know several business figures in the region that travel to BRU often, but due to the extortionate prices bmi charge, they both use BIRMINGHAM over LBA despite Brussels Airlines being partnered with bmi, SN prices are apparently 50% of what bmi charge from LBA.

A quick look on expedia shows that you can fly to Tel Aviv via BRU for £50 less than what bmi charge for the LBA-BRU sectors on the same day!

 

[Seasider]

Re: bmi

LBA has had a FRA service operated by Brown Air (pre Capital) in the mid 80's (I think).

 

[Bhowani]

Re: bmi

True: plane did FRA in am and OSL (Fornebu) in afternoon.
Used the OSL route frequently, and vividly remember the steep approach to Fornebu with the cockpit door open so we could AAHHH at the view!

Gardemoen would work year round (excellent links by train to decent ski spots like Geio and Voss,) but Ryanair go to Rygge which is well down the E6 towards Goteborg!

One can always hope..........

Bhowani

 

[White Heather]

Re: bmi

Sorry guys, I hadn't remembered the Brown Air operation, probably as it didn't last very long, although oddly I remember they operated to Oslo very well, eventually on a Gulfstream 1 turbo prop (G-BRWN) painted a most yukky beige colour, but I seem to recall that once they became Capital and re-equipped with Shorts 360's both routes were dropped permanently.