Please can you fix it for me not to have to drive to Manchester at 5am in the morning so I can roll out of bed and get to the airport at a reasonable time.
Errr. Apparently not!
The comparison with running LCY flights in competition with LHR and running them in isolation isn't valid. However, i've now had my third cup of coffee for the day and i'm beginning to accept I might have to go to MAN for the flights and NXEC direct to London. Shame my office is near LHR!
So do we think this is the end of the Diamond Club Lounge at LBA as well then? Can't really justify the space and cost for the number of passengers. Or actually, was this a key part of the problem (recognise it's being run by Servisair, but I guess they rent the space for the bmi bit and employ them as servicing agents?).
bmi to terminate Leeds Bradford and Durham Tees Valley to Heathrow services
- bmi regional services unaffected
bmi has today confirmed that it will be terminating its services to Heathrow from Leeds Bradford and Durham Tees Valley Airports. The last services will operate on 28 March 2009.
A decline in overall demand and higher-than-inflation cost increases at Heathrow mean the routes have become unsustainable and show no signs of that trend being reversed.
Peter Spencer, managing director of bmi, said: “A combination of factors means that we are unable to continue to provide viable services from these regional airports to Heathrow. There has been a small decline in the overall air market and whilst we have been able to address this to a degree with the introduction of smaller capacity aircraft and fewer flights, unless BAA, which owns and runs Heathrow, reverses its policy and pricing, we see little prospect of these routes ever being able to achieve an acceptable level of profitability.
“The operational efficiencies of the routes have been severely challenged with changes to charging structures and cost increases implemented by BAA at Heathrow deliberately targeted towards short haul flying. This has led to price increases to bmi that are way over the rate of inflation. All these factors coupled with the introduction of higher Government imposed APD (air passenger duty) charges for air travellers have increasingly marginalised those choosing to fly. This has reduced the competitiveness of air travel against other forms of transport such as Government subsidised rail travel.
“The fact is that due in the main to BAA’s inflation-busting increases and changes to its pricing structures that place a considerable disadvantage on short haul flights, travellers in the North of England are losing their important links to Heathrow. Instead of Heathrow they will now have to rely on European airports such as Amsterdam, Brussels and Frankfurt to connect to worldwide destinations. BAA, through its tactics, would appear to want to completely cut itself off from the UK regions. This is a strategy that will inevitably have a negative impact upon the economic growth and inward investment in those key areas.”
Passengers holding bookings for services after the route has been suspended will shortly be contacted by bmi to review alternative travel arrangements or refunds.
The closure of Leeds Bradford to Heathrow has no impact whatsoever on the services of bmi regional, with three Leeds Bradford Airport-based aircraft and crews providing regular services to a wide range of destinations including Brussels, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
As a result of the route terminations 33 operational staff are likely to be affected at Leeds Bradford and a further 19 staff at Durham Tees Valley. bmi has today commenced discussions with staff and union representatives with a view to minimising job losses. bmi is confident that because of redeployment opportunities the number of staff facing compulsory redundancy will be minimal.
bmi continues to develop the mid and long haul parts of its business from Heathrow. The airline will shortly be launching a new five times a week service to the Ukrainian capital Kiev as well as doubling the number of flights from Heathrow to Tel Aviv. To better compete with other airlines on existing routes bmi will introduce the wide bodied A330 aircraft onto the Tel Aviv and Cairo services. The airline continues to provide more competitive frequencies and additional capacity to routes such as Amman, Damascus and Beirut from Heathrow
...travellers in the North of England are losing their important links to Heathrow. Instead of Heathrow they will now have to rely on European airports such as Amsterdam, Brussels and Frankfurt to connect to worldwide destinations...
So how does one get to Frankfurt from MME or LBA? I am so hoping that he's announcing something that isn't yet announced.
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and confirmation of the other changes here -
Quote:
Originally Posted by bmi
We're making changes to our summer 2009 flying timetable:
Increasing our Heathrow to Beirut and Amman services to ten per week each from 22 May 2009
Reducing our Heathrow - Addis Ababa service to three per week, now being served over Amman, instead of Damascus from 29 March 2009
Decreasing our Heathrow - Amsterdam service to four per day and Heathrow - Dublin to six per day from 29 March 2009
Operating our Heathrow - Aberdeen service on all Embraer aircraft from 29 March 2009 and Heathrow - Brussels on all Embraer aircraft from 18 April 2009
Closing our Heathrow to Leeds Bradford and Durham Tees Valley services with the last day of operation on 28 March 2009
And let me get this straight: just as BRU is about to join the Star network as a major hub, the main Heathrow link has capacity slashed and the product downgraded
And let me get this straight: just as BRU is about to join the Star network as a major hub, the main Heathrow link has capacity slashed and the product downgraded
Of course. Logic and long term planning don't go well together these days...
This press release would suggest further support for the rumour being reality.
The rumours of LBA - FRA were just as strong as the rumours of getting rid of LHR so wouldn't be at all surprised.
And the FRA rumours came out of Bridgepoint, not any airline, so definitely some legs to it.
Out of interest, when are Brussels airlines due into the alliance?
...Out of interest, when are Brussels airlines due into the alliance?
I already had a email from LH about close co-operation.
Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines are stepping up their cooperation within the framework of the planned admission of the Belgian carrier to the Star Alliance.
From 15 February, passengers from both airlines will have access to both their lounges. Members with Platinum status in the Belgian airline's Privilege frequent flyer programme will in future be entitled to use all Lufthansa Senator and Business-Class lounges, worldwide. In turn, Lufthansa's frequently flying Miles & More members will have access to the lounges of Brussels Airlines. From this weekend, HON Circle members of Miles & More as well as passengers with Senator status and First-Class travellers will have the use of the Belgian carrier’s lounges in Brussels. Additionally, passengers' baggage can be checked-through to their final destination on flights operated by the two airlines.
Plans for the next steps in cooperation between Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines are already underway: Passengers will very shortly be able to combine the fares of the two carriers in cross-border traffic. Conclusion of a code-share agreement encompassing large parts of the two airlines' networks is also envisaged. The accord will enable numerous connections to be offered under joint flight numbers. Additionally, Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines are to pool their frequent flyer programmes.
We are sorry to let you know that unfortunately we are ending our Heathrow-Leeds Bradford service on 28 March 2009.
The decision to withdraw services between London and the North of England was a tough one, as we've operated these routes since 1969. However a decline in demand, higher-than-inflation cost increases at Heathrow and higher Government Air Passenger Duty (APD) charges have made operating these routes unsustainable.
If you have a booking on one of the affected services, we will, where possible, reaccommodate you on other bmi services. We will contact you in the next few weeks to discuss your options.
We are also making the following changes to our summer 2009 flying:
Increasing our Heathrow-Beirut and Amman services to ten per week from 22 May 2009
Reducing our Heathrow-Addis Ababa service to three per week, now being served over Amman, instead of Damascus from 29 March 2009
Decreasing the frequency of our Heathrow-Amsterdam service to four per day and Heathrow-Dublin to six per day from 29 March 2009
Operating our Heathrow-Aberdeen service on all Embraer aircraft from 29 March 2009 and Heathrow-Brussels on all Embraer aircraft from 18 April 2009
Closing our Heathrow-Durham Tees Valley service on 28 March 2009
We'd like to thank you for your loyalty and support of our Heathrow-Leeds Bradford service and apologise for any inconvenience.
Well it would be 
bmi confirms route cuts
