Passengers desert BMI
January 5, 2006UK airline BMI and its no-frills offshoot bmibaby are losing passengers hand-over-fist, figures obtained by the Evening Standard reveal.
The troubled airline has refused to release monthly statistics since February 2005.
But data for summer 2005, seen by the newspaper, show the carrier is losing ground to fast-growing rivals such as easyJet, Ryanair and Flybe.
bmibaby saw passenger numbers inch up just three per cent during the summer, way short of the blistering growth rates posted by rival low-cost airlines.
And long-haul operator BMI fared even worse, with summer passenger numbers down four per cent.
After taking the reigns in May, new BMI boss Nigel Turner admitted the airline had lost touch with customers.
But rival operators have slammed Turner's efforts to transform BMI's fortunes, which include axing business class cabins and introducing charges for food and drink.
A spokesperson argued that it was unfair to compare BMI's figures with low-cost rivals such as Ryanair, citing the company's focus on long-haul routes.
BMI has endured four years of operating losses.
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