bmi diamond club - New silver benefits communication

Hot off the, er, mail server. Not much information there, just confirms that the tiny fares exclusion is still going to be in effect for silvers:

silver benefits are as competitive as ever

As a valued bmi traveller, I'd like to give you a brief update on the up and coming changes at bmi and also how these affect you as a diamond club silver member. For the full stories, click here.

the new, streamlined bmi service
Firstly, to provide you with a faster and more flexible service, in January we're introducing an online check-in service and also the facility to print your own boarding pass. This lets you check-in in advance from the office or home and reduces time spent at the airport. Further improvements for the New Year include a simpler and faster self check-in process at the airport, so whenever you check-in it's as quick and easy as possible.

improved online purchasing
Also to come in January is our improved online booking service that lets you compare all the bmi fares at-a-glance. These fares include our new bmibaby tiny fare, offering basic low-cost fares on many bmi UK and European routes. The new online booking service lets you select and change your fares more easily, and once live will also offer the full range of bmibaby tiny fares.

the facts about your membership benefits
Your silver diamond club benefits will be unaffected by the changes to our new business model unless you choose to fly on a new bmibaby tiny fare from 1 January 2006. So, if you continue to buy the fare types you purchased before the introduction of bmibaby tiny fares, you'll see no change to your benefits.

And diamond club still remains as competitive as ever, allowing you to reach silver status and earn your rewards much quicker than other airlines. For example, it only takes 7 economy return flights with bmi to earn silver status, compared to 15 returns with BA*.

You can find more information here about all the above, and we'll be in touch again very soon with more news about our online developments.

Just for completeness, the link it referenced is: http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/frequentflyers/thenewbmiservice.aspx, and the * bit was:

* comparison based on flights taken on the London Heathrow - Brussels route at a mid economy fare in both instances

This is an interesting page:

http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/frequentflyers/improvedonlinebooking.aspx

The fare examples shown here imply that the difference between tiny and economy (ie the difference between no lounge / no miles and lounge / miles) is only £5 on the DUB-LON leg shown.

A mock-up of the new online booking system is here:

http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/frequentflyers/improvedonlinebooking.aspx

They do caution that it isn't the final version, but nonetheless, the idea behind the GUI seems sound.

It is interesting to note that, in the screenshot, the 'economy' fare is always £5 more expensive than the 'bmibaby tiny' fare, which is the difference between a *BABY fare and a *OWBMI fare. This, I suspect, is a recognition that silver travellers would tend to move their business away from flybmi.com so as to get the standard fares. Making them available online benefits both customer and airline, IMO. ^

I've no problem with paying an extra £5 for my silver benefits.

^ to bmi for this improved clarity and communication.

This is an interesting page:

http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/frequentflyers/improvedonlinebooking.aspx

The fare examples shown here imply that the difference between tiny and economy (ie the difference between no lounge / no miles and lounge / miles) is only £5 on the DUB-LON leg shown.

Unless it's just a mock up with fake data, I'm a little confused why Business and Premium Economy are the same price. I assume these are shown ex-tax, but even so, the difference would only be the difference in tax. Odd difference for business catering vs. no catering at all. Is this the way it is currently?

Unless it's just a mock up with fake data, I'm a little confused why Business and Premium Economy are the same price. I assume these are shown ex-tax, but even so, the difference would only be the difference in tax. Odd difference for business catering vs. no catering at all. Is this the way it is currently?

Full Y and full C have been the same price (except for the tax difference) for some time. It's a way of maximising revenue in the era of 'no shorthaul business class travel' policies at many firms.

Full Y and full C have been the same price (except for the tax difference) for some time. It's a way of maximising revenue in the era of 'no shorthaul business class travel' policies at many firms.

And it's particularly galling on flights (the majority) which have no business class and on which you pay for food, to know that if there had been a business class, they would not only have put you in it for the same price, but would have given you something to eat as well.

I'm Sorry - this paragraph is insulting:


the facts about your membership benefits
Your silver diamond club benefits will be unaffected by the changes to our new business model unless you choose to fly on a new bmibaby tiny fare from 1 January 2006. So, if you continue to buy the fare types you purchased before the introduction of bmibaby tiny fares, you'll see no change to your benefits.

And the Tony Blair Spin of the year award goes to BMI

Full Y and full C have been the same price (except for the tax difference) for some time. It's a way of maximising revenue in the era of 'no shorthaul business class travel' policies at many firms.

Ah, that actually sounds a little familiar now, thanks.

And it's particularly galling on flights (the majority) which have no business class and on which you pay for food, to know that if there had been a business class, they would not only have put you in it for the same price, but would have given you something to eat as well.

Worse where these is a business class and your company books you in economy for nearly the same money due to policy. I can't imagine who else would be buying these fares on routes with C (or maybe that's the problem...)

I'm Sorry - this paragraph is insulting

Why? Seems reasonable enough to me, particularly if they are going to restart selling standard fares from N up on flybmi.com.

I'd be more offended by the paragraph about food which claims customers are "choosing" to pay lower fares in exchange for having the catering removed when in fact 1. the fares are not lower in the majority of cases and 2. there is no bloody choice :rolleyes:

I'm Sorry - this paragraph is insulting:


the facts about your membership benefits
Your silver diamond club benefits will be unaffected by the changes to our new business model unless you choose to fly on a new bmibaby tiny fare from 1 January 2006. So, if you continue to buy the fare types you purchased before the introduction of bmibaby tiny fares, you'll see no change to your benefits.

And the Tony Blair Spin of the year award goes to BMI

I agree. To charge the same for less, and then charge more for what has been taken away IS a change in my benefits. It is bmi's choice, not mine, to remove lounge access for lower fares.

I agree. To charge the same for less, and then charge more for what has been taken away IS a change in my benefits. It is bmi's choice, not mine, to remove lounge access for lower fares.

But to play devil's advocate: at the lowest end of the scale, are they actually charging the same for less?

LHR-EDI-LHR NBABY fare £50.20 inclusive. It's not been as low as £50 for some time (before August 1st). BA's lowest fare on the route is £64.

At the higher end, BD's uncatered offering is admittedly very poor.

I'd be more offended by the paragraph about food which claims customers are "choosing" to pay lower fares in exchange for having the catering removed when in fact 1. the fares are not lower in the majority of cases and 2. there is no bloody choice :rolleyes:

I have to agree that fairs are not that much lower - infact I find them to be consitently higher on the MME-LHR route. This route has only three flights a day to LHR and consequently there is a lot of feeder traffic for onward connections for leisure travellers. As a consequnce of this there a sometimes very few "cheap" seats available.

So fares are no cheaper for the business traveller and the benefits are reduced.

But to play devil's advocate: at the lowest end of the scale, are they actually charging the same for less?

Can't speak for all the routes, but they are on DUB - LHR

I'll go further than colmc and say that in fact they are charging more for less on DUB-LHR at the bottom of the scale.

At the top of the scale, I flew in full C (no such thing and J or D on this route any more - fares are exorbitant) last Sunday and I was quite saddened. The service was exactly the same as I remember the old economy cabin being before the summer, with the exception that the basic food offering was served in a cardboard box. We received a bacon sandwich and a banana. Tea/coffee and a drink.

Oh, I forgot the hot towel, but the fact I was sitting beside Michael Flatley (http://www.michaelflatley.com/) made up for the massive costs and lack of service. :rolleyes: (He was quite a nice chap, actually!)

My last bmi flight LHR - MAN & v v in June, the fare was £300.40 in Business.

Quote for next week in premium economy is £294.00 .

Take off my contribution to Gordon Brown of £20.00 in business and £10.00 in economy, then the fare has increased by £3.60. For that, no seperate cabin, no food.

I cannot find a comparison for lowest fare, but for full fare it is more for less.

For lowest fares, I would expect November to be cheaper than July.