Fly BMI

[andrewgreen]

Well its either to cover for routine maintanance of an existing aircraft or as cover for one gone unexpectedly tech. either way the continued use of other aircrat shows the lack of cover at BMIR . But on the plus side at least they are trying to put their customers first and not just doing a Ryanair and saying s## the customer just leave them stranded !

 

[TheLocalYokel]

http://www.somersetcountycc.co.uk/n...urn-flight-tickets-bmi-regional-somerset-ccc/

I hadn't realised that bmi regional had a tie-up with Somerset County Cricket Club. I knew about the Bath Rugby Club link.

I suppose I should have twigged a couple of months ago when I watched a 20:20 cricket match at the Taunton County Ground, or whatever sponsor's name it's called these days, and bmir featured as one of the main advertisers on the giant tv screens at the ground.

Incidentally, I was inside the BRS terminal today and at the entrance to the bmir check-in desks is a large advertising notice showing which routes the airline operates from BRS. Nantes was still featured even though it was axed after one summer in 2015 because easyJet came onto the route.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Brussels

A series of posts on another forum says that bmi regional is taking over the BRS-BRU route in its own name. Currently it operates the route for Brussels Airlines.

I found the discussion on the other forum a bit confusing but it appears to suggest that Brussels Airlines will code share and that there will be four daily flights instead of the current three. Can anyone confirm, contradict, add?

 

[Jerry]

I found the discussion on the other forum a bit confusing but it appears to suggest that Brussels Airlines will code share and that there will be four daily flights instead of the current three. Can anyone confirm, contradict, add?

I had a quick look at both BMI's website and Brussels Airlines in June 2018 at it's a bit confusing. On BMI's website it says operated by Brussels Airlines but on Brussels Airlines it says operated by BMI. I checked Google flights it says Brussels Airlines operated by BMI and it is a Brussels Airlines flight number as well.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I had a quick look at both BMI's website and Brussels Airlines in June 2018 at it's a bit confusing. On BMI's website it says operated by Brussels Airlines but on Brussels Airlines it says operated by BMI. I checked Google flights it says Brussels Airlines operated by BMI and it is a Brussels Airlines flight number as well.

Thank you Jerry. I'm glad I'm not the only one who found it confusing.😆

 

[Kernow Bravo]

If anything I think this simplifiies the situation somewhat! The 1735 depature from BRS for example is operated by bmi regional on behalf of brussels airlines, as we know. However BM also codeshares on this route, so passengers can book either SN2058 or BM6058 and fly on the same plane (guess which is usually cheaper!)

I have flown the BRS-BRU route a couple of times previously, and the crew wore BM uniform, it was essentially BM service (snack & drink included in ticket price, whereas SN metal is BoB), but they used brusssels airlines cups for the tea/coffee! One particular journey was even more confusing because the routing was TRN-BRU-BRS and the TRN-BRU leg was operated by Flybe DH4 wearing SN livery!

 

[Jerry]

I have flown the BRS-BRU route a couple of times previously, and the crew wore BM uniform, it was essentially BM service (snack & drink included in ticket price, whereas SN metal is BoB), but they used brusssels airlines cups for the tea/coffee! One particular journey was even more confusing because the routing was TRN-BRU-BRS and the TRN-BRU leg was operated by Flybe DH4 wearing SN livery!

I believe both the Flybe and BMI operations are wet leases for Brussels Airlines. I think the Flybe wet lease has ended now with them using City Jet instead.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

If anything I think this simplifiies the situation somewhat! The 1735 depature from BRS for example is operated by bmi regional on behalf of brussels airlines, as we know. However BM also codeshares on this route, so passengers can book either SN2058 or BM6058 and fly on the same plane (guess which is usually cheaper!)

I have flown the BRS-BRU route a couple of times previously, and the crew wore BM uniform, it was essentially BM service (snack & drink included in ticket price, whereas SN metal is BoB), but they used brusssels airlines cups for the tea/coffee! One particular journey was even more confusing because the routing was TRN-BRU-BRS and the TRN-BRU leg was operated by Flybe DH4 wearing SN livery!

Until bmir obtained the contract to operate BRS-BRU for Brussels Airlines the route was operated by Flybe on SN's behalf using a Q400 in SN livery that was based at BRS.

According to one poster on the Dried Plum who I believe is a regular business traveller from BRS, a SN code share on a bmir operation will not give the same Star Alliance frequent flyer advantages that accrue when bmir operates on behalf of Brussels Airlines as is the case at present.

 

[Kernow Bravo]

According to one poster on the Dried Plum who I believe is a regular business traveller from BRS, a SN code share on a bmir operation will not give the same Star Alliance frequent flyer advantages that accrue when bmir operates on behalf of Brussels Airlines as is the case at present.

Unfortunately that may well be so. I gather that this is already the case with the LH codeshare on the FRA and MUC flights. Possibly this move is connected with LH's plans to subsume SN into Eurowings. I doubt it'll be good news for fares on the route and will do little to advance the BRS aim of attracting passengers away from LHR.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Maybe it's time for BMI to join star? Given their route network and close ties with the LH group, an alliance would make sense, if it's financially viable for a small carrier. It could then mean closer links and more flying for the LH group. Bigger jets needed to replace the BE flying for SN.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Maybe it's time for BMI to join star? Given their route network and close ties with the LH group, an alliance would make sense, if it's financially viable for a small carrier. It could then mean closer links and more flying for the LH group. Bigger jets needed to replace the BE flying for SN.

Last year the CEO of the group that owns bmir said they were looking at acquiring larger aircraft than the E145 for some routes, with BRS-FRA given as an example.

Looking back over recent years the BRS-BRU route has built up gradually from the time SN used ARJ85s through Flybe and then bmir operating the routes for SN. The CAA stats show that annual passenger figures since 2008 are:

2008 36,092
2009 31,250
2010 38,334
2011 42,659
2012 41,993
2013 49,046
2014 52,484
2015 56,638
2016 56,447*

* 2016 would almost certainly have been 3-4,000 higher but BRU was closed for a lengthy period in March/April following a terrorism incident

The comparative figures for 2017 compared with 2016 from January to August are 34,773 this year against 31,154 in 2016. In fact these stats don't include July as for some accountable reason the CAA currently shows August's figures under its July headings as well as under August's. Given the terrorist attack in 2016 it's likely that had the incident not occurred 2017 would be around the same figures thus far as a 'terrorist-free' 2016 would have been.

These annual figures still don't compare with the period that Sabena operated the route itself prior to bankruptcy. Using ARJ85s of its subsidiary DAT at up to 4 x daily the route handled just under 92,000 passengers in 2001. Sabena ceased trading in November of that year.

Time will tell whether a bmir-operated route with a Brussels Airlines code share will see the continuation of the gradual annual rise in passenger numbers of recent years. If bmir can do that whilst achieving an acceptable yield this Sabena and successors-operated route of the past quarter of a century ought to be able to survive and hopefully prosper with a looser SN association.

 

[big g]

If anything I think this simplifiies the situation somewhat! The 1735 depature from BRS for example is operated by bmi regional on behalf of brussels airlines, as we know. However BM also codeshares on this route, so passengers can book either SN2058 or BM6058 and fly on the same plane (guess which is usually cheaper!)

I have flown the BRS-BRU route a couple of times previously, and the crew wore BM uniform, it was essentially BM service (snack & drink included in ticket price, whereas SN metal is BoB), but they used brusssels airlines cups for the tea/coffee! One particular journey was even more confusing because the routing was TRN-BRU-BRS and the TRN-BRU leg was operated by Flybe DH4 wearing SN livery!

All the current SN flights are operated by SN on BM metal and using SN systems, the catering is supplied by SN in BRU, nothing is from BM. The crews have always worn the BM uniform, even when BE operated the route they wore BE uniform. The only aircraft BM has with SN markings is GRJXI.

The route is being taken over by BM in November so all the catering etc will be supplied by BM.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The only aircraft BM has with SN markings is GRJXI..

Is that the white E145 with Brussels Airlines painted on the side of the fuselage?

 

[Kernow Bravo]

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/8604392

 

[Marko1]

https://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/872646/BMI-to-cash-in-on-demise-of-its-rivals/amp

Interesting ?

 

[Jerry]

They'd need to have bigger aircraft and lower prices if they are to compete in the leisure market. I'd imagine that they'd have to have 80 to 100 seaters for that.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The owners of bmir have been talking about getting bigger aircraft for some routes for a long while. Whether any expansion as mentioned in this report will affect BRS remains to be seen. Recent growth seems to have occurred elsewhere.

 

[Kernow Bravo]

The Express seems a very interesting first vehicle for bmir to choose to communicate this information!

There seem to be different ways to interpret the article. When they talk about the 'business leisure' market, I take that to mean people tacking on a long weekend to a business trip and perhaps being joined by partner/family. This might suggest adding capacity in certain markets on Thursday/Friday evenings and Sunday evenings or early Monday mornings. Alternatively 'business leisure' might be interpreted as premium leisure markets such as Switzerland and the Nordic countries.

We know that bmir already operates some charter flights (arguably to premium leisure destinations ex BRS), but if they are targeting Monarch routes/clientele that is indeed a different model from Alitalia, some of whose routes would in theory be a better fit for bmir's more business-focussed core operations.

It seem likely that LH will have a major role to play in cleaning up the Air Berlin mess, but for anti-competitiveness reasons it may be more palatable for BM to pick up some of those short haul routes, with appropriate codeshares, rather than seeing an ever increasing number of LH or Eurowings aircraft, particularly in Germany.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The Express seems a very interesting first vehicle for bmir to choose to communicate this information!

There seem to be different ways to interpret the article. When they talk about the 'business leisure' market, I take that to mean people tacking on a long weekend to a business trip and perhaps being joined by partner/family. This might suggest adding capacity in certain markets on Thursday/Friday evenings and Sunday evenings or early Monday mornings. Alternatively 'business leisure' might be interpreted as premium leisure markets such as Switzerland and the Nordic countries.

We know that bmir already operates some charter flights (arguably to premium leisure destinations ex BRS), but if they are targeting Monarch routes/clientele that is indeed a different model from Alitalia, some of whose routes would in theory be a better fit for bmir's more business-focussed core operations.

It seem likely that LH will have a major role to play in cleaning up the Air Berlin mess, but for anti-competitiveness reasons it may be more palatable for BM to pick up some of those short haul routes, with appropriate codeshares, rather than seeing an ever increasing number of LH or Eurowings aircraft, particularly in Germany.

I don't know if they gave the Express and interview or whether the Express was the one that highlighted the airline's press release.

The summer charter flights from BRS are, as you say, to some arguably premium destinations) but as far as I know they are all operated on behalf of tour operators. Taking the airline's statement in broad brush I'm not sure that BRS would gain too much from it. We'll obviously have to wait and see.

 

[Kernow Bravo]

I don't know if they gave the Express and interview or whether the Express was the one that highlighted the airline's press release.

The summer charter flights from BRS are, as you say, to some arguably premium destinations) but as far as I know they are all operated on behalf of tour operators. Taking the airline's statement in broad brush I'm not sure that BRS would gain too much from it. We'll obviously have to wait and see.

I may be mistaken, but I would not expect many of bmir's core customer base to be avid Express readers, and for that reason, possibly the Express would not necessarily focus on a story about bmir unless 'prompted'. The thought occurred to me that bmir may be trying to raise their profile amongst a wider demographic, perhaps in preparation for exploring new markets or even operational models.

Agreed that BRS may not benefit too much from this, although when we consider what BACF have done with their Saturday flights, if BM do procure larger aircraft, perhaps this is a model they will consider to optimise their usage. After all, BM have a strong presence at BRS, but it will be a case of whether they can find viable destinations, because presumably BACF have cherry-picked their Saturday routes.