I've been following the BMI board for the past days and I'm very sad to hear what they have done to this airline.
They have turned the excellent full-service high-quality British Midland into a crappy, no-service whatsoever airline with far too high prices, and it's really a shame.

Anyway, I have a question and need some advice.
At the end of August I will be moving from London to Paris and not surprisingly I have some stuff I need to bring with me.
The *G card is naturally very handy to have as I can bring 40 kg with me in Y.
My initial plan was to buy a V-class ticket LHR-CDG for about �70, make use of my 40 kgs of free luggage, earn 100% points to my Eurobonus account, enjoy a free drink in the lounge and later a free sandwich onboard.
A good investment!!

Well my plans sort of changed when BMI launched these so-called 'tiny fares' (which are not tiny) and later also announced no *G baggage allowance when buying these tickets.
I can accept not getting a free sandwich on a 45 min flight, but not being able to bring the extra luggage means the trip itself is pointless, at least if flying BMI.
I'm not prepared to buy a 'standard ticket' for �200 just to get nothing else but the benefits I'm actually entitled to in the first place, as per Star Alliance rules the benefits are valid irrespective of ticket and class of travel, but BMI seems to ignore that.

I wonder if there is a way to get around this "only 20 kg" rule? Any tips?
I know for example Lufthansa sell identical tickets for the route at about the same price, I think the ticket is called VOWBMI.
How would BMI value these tickets? Would they be eqivalent to tiny tickets meaning no counter check-in and extra luggage?

Would appreciate some advice.
Thanks!

Good question, I would be interested in this as I need a one way Lhr to Man and with 30kg what class will I now have to buy?

Hi,

From the bmi website, for *G (and DC gold holders) you would need a standard fare to get the extra * G allowance ie 40kg in total on a standard fare;

http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/trav...ageadvice.aspx

Jacob_m, I think the VOWBMI fare wolud be a standard fare.

Regards

TBS

OK what if you get the tiny fare and have to pay excess baggage, hows it calculated?

Hi,

From the bmi website ( scroll down from the Baggage allowance page);

excess baggage

Excess baggage on bmi operated domestic and european flights is charged at �5/�7.50 per kg outbound, and �5/�7.50 per kg inbound. If your journey has been booked on a single ticket but requires that you go via another location i.e. EDI-LHR-AMS you will only be charged once outbound and once inbound. If you choose to book the same journey but on separate tickets i.e. EDI-LHR, LHR-AMS you will be charged �5 per kg for each sector of the journey. In this case you would be charged twice on the outbound and twice on the inbound journey.

If you are travelling long haul or on a non-bmi operated (codeshare) flight, please contact our reservations centre on 0870 6070555 for advice.

regards

TBS

That's what I would like to know.
I'm really confused by all this, if I got it right the fare codes for tiny tickets end with either TINY or BABY, and this one ends with OWBMI.
On the other hand it is a V-class ticket, and a V-class ticket booked through BMI would be a tiny ticket as everything below M is regarded as tiny (god knows how they made that calculation).
Why make it easy when you can make it difficult...

Another option would make it as a mileage run and fly LHR-CPH-CDG on SAS which would mean loads of points, 5000 with the tier bonus if I got it right.
I wonder what they would say at the check-in desk at LHR seeing that itinerary...

The excess charge for 20 kg would be �5*20 kg=�100.
For 100 quid it would be cheaper to fly back and forth twice, and for some reason it wouldn't surprise me at all if BMI really charges you for every single kilo of excess luggage.

I've found opodo.co.uk pretty decent for getting "normal" BMI fares too. SHouldn't be �200