New Sierra Leone route from bmi

Bmi has launched a direct service to the west African nation of Sierra Leone.

The carrier will now operate four weekly flights from London Heathrow Airport to Freetown International Airport - departing on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

During a recent visit to the country, bmi chief executive Nigel Turner had pledged his airline's commitment to helping develop the fledgling economy.

bmi chairman criticises treatment of airlines

Sir Michael Bishop, the chairman of the bmi group, has said that the majority of airlines at Heathrow are fed up with being treated as second class citizens.

Addressing the Aviation Club in London yesterday (April 24), Sir Michael said the problems at Terminal 5, for which the airlines were "being charged through the nose", were the latest slur on the airport's reputation.

bmi launches Cardiff to Barcelona service

Low-cost carrier bmi is launching a new service between Cardiff and Barcelona, beginning on May 24.

Flights will be twice weekly on Tuesday and Saturday, and then from June 18 the airline will also be operating a service on Wednesdays.

Bmi is currently offering sale fares on the new route, starting at £24.99, including taxes and charges.

bmi criticises BAA's decision to delay Terminal 5 moves

Low-cost carrier bmi has criticised the recent decision by airport operator BAA to delay the move of long-haul services to Terminal 5.

The airline's chief executive, Nigel Turner, said that the announcement that the original March 30 move date had been pushed back until June this year was "absolutely outrageous" considering that no airline other than British Airways had been consulted on the decision.

bmi launches daily non-stop flights to Israel

Bmi has launched non-stop flights between London Heathrow Airport and Tel Aviv.

An Airbus A320 with 20 seats in Business Class and 108 in Economy serves the new route. With this new service, bmi now flies to 38 destinations from Heathrow.

Bmi has formulated the flight schedule to offer well-timed connections for passengers travelling from regional airports, such as Scotland, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Durham Tees Valley and Belfast.

Bmi leases aircraft to allow Heathrow service increase

Bmi has announced the lease of two aircraft to allow it to increase the capacity and frequency of a number of its services from London Heathrow.

The airline has leased two Boeing 757-200s and, as a result, from May 1 it will be offering a new direct service to the Kazakhstan city of Almaty, reducing the current journey time to the destination by two hours.

From the same date it plans to offer direct flights to the capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown, with journey times reduced by an hour and an extra weekly flight introduced to bring the number of scheduled departures to four per week.

Cologne service from East Midlands takes to skies

East Midlands Airport now has a link to the German city of Cologne after the launch of a new route by bmi.

The airline's first flight to Cologne took off earlier this week, providing passengers from the Midlands a direct link to one of Europe’s most metropolitan areas all year round.

bmi regional will operate a six-times weekly service, except Saturday, with fares starting at £49 one-way, including taxes and charges.

Inverness link to London dropped by bmi

Airline bmi has said it will drop its daily service between Inverness and Heathrow in March, as part of a shake-up of its route network.

The changes will also see the company double the number of flights it offers between Heathrow and Moscow Domodedovo, increase the frequency of its service between Manchester and Heathrow as well as improve the schedule for the three times daily service between Heathrow and Durham Tees Valley.

Bmi's decision to end its link from Inverness to London on March 29 has been blamed on poor ticket sales and the increase in Air Passenger Duty, with the airline saying it did not expect to see any improvement in passenger numbers.

New Heathrow-Tel Aviv link from bmi

Bmi is to begin flying between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv early next year.

From March 13, the airline will start daily flights to the Israeli capital, with economy fares costing from £243.60 and business fares beginning at £881.60 (prices are for return tickets, including taxes and charges).

Outbound flights will depart Heathrow each day at 12.55pm, touching down in Tel Aviv at 7.55pm. On the way back, flights will leave Israel at 7.15am, getting back to London at 10.45am. Times are local.

This schedule has been designed to fit in with other bmi services to and from regional airports such as Leeds Bradford, Dublin and Manchester.

bmi increases frequency on Manchester to Barbados route

Bmi has increased the frequency of its flights between Manchester and Barbados to three times per week.

The airline is expecting a lot of take-up for the route to the Caribbean destination, and will fly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Fares for the route begin at £671 in economy, £1,211 in premium economy and £1,856 in business class. Business class and premium economy both feature flat beds and wide seating.

New East Midlands to Cologne service from bmi regional

A new route is to be launched between East Midlands Airport and Cologne, in Germany's Rhineland.

Beginning on February 11, 2008, bmi regional will operate a six-times weekly service, filling the gap left by easyJet when it withdrew from the route.

Embraer jets with both business and economy class will be used, and fares start at £49 one-way, including taxes and charges.

Passengers will also have the option of travelling onwards to destinations including Hamburg with bmi regional Star Alliance partner Lufthansa.

Bmi plans London - US flights in 2009

Bmi has announced it plans to begin flying between the UK and US in 2009 and not as soon as the Open Skies agreement becomes effective next year, Bloomberg reports.

Under the accord between the UK and US the airline, which is Britain's third largest, has the opportunity to launch flights to the US from London Heathrow in April 2008.

However, the carrier's chief executive, Nigel Turner, told an industry conference in London that bmi would delay the launch of any UK to US routes until 2009, citing a need to assess levels of both competition and demand.

bmi chief expresses fears over Leeds Bradford charges

The chairman of bmi, the only airline offering a link between Leeds Bradford Airport and London Heathrow, has warned that the cost of operating the route places a question mark over its future.

Sir Michael Bishop has written to Michael Goodwin, the chairman of Leeds-Bradford, saying its airport charges are higher than any other airport in its network.

The Telegraph and Argus website quotes from the letter in which Sir Michael says: "fees will need to drop significantly in cash terms for the service to remain viable" and stresses the importance of local businesses supporting the route.

Bmi tops long-haul regularity league

British airline bmi has topped a list of Europe's most reliable long-haul airlines.

The latest consumer report from the Association of European Airlines (AEA) reveals that 100 per cent of bmi's long-haul flights in the third quarter of 2007 departed as planned (no cancellations). The airline shared joint first place with Lufthansa and Icelandair, which both also kept a clean sheet.

bmi starts flights from Heathrow to Dammam

Bmi is set to begin flying between London Heathrow and Dammam in Saudi Arabia.

The routes, due to begin early next year, will operate three times a week using a wide-bodied Airbus A330 aircraft with both business and economy class seating. Return fares begin at £399 in economy and £1,301 in business (including taxes).

Flights will leave Heathrow at 11.30am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, reaching Dammam at 10.35pm.

bmi extends code share agreements on US and Egypt flights

Bmi has broadened its code share agreements, improving links to the US and Egypt.

As a result of the Open Skies agreement between the EU and the US, signed earlier this year, the airline has added five new American destinations to its code share route network with United Airlines. Flights to Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco and Denver will carry a bmi marketing code share flight number, meaning that passengers can buy direct flights through bmi.

The code sharing on these routes will come into effect on March 30, 2008, and tickets are on sale now.

bmi downscales Inverness to Heathrow flights

© bmi

Bmi has cut back the number of flights it will offer between Inverness and London Heathrow during the winter.

The first cancelled flight would have been on Wednesday (November 7), and the cancellations will continue until February 6.

In total 19 return flights have been cancelled, with the airline saying it was responding to lower passenger demand during the winter. A spokesman said that smaller planes could sometimes be used when demand slackened, but not in the case of this route.

bmi will not take on Shannon to Heathrow route

Airline bmi will not take over the Shannon to London Heathrow route that Aer Lingus is about to scrap, it has emerged.

The carrier had initially showed interest in offering the service, engaging in talks with Shannon Airport Authority and conducting a feasibility study. However, discussions have come to nothing, leaving local people and Ireland's transport minister sorely disappointed.

Losing the direct connection to Heathrow is a blow to the local area because it allows people to travel to the west Ireland airport from hundreds of international locations, as well as from London.

Possible Heathrow to Shannon flights from bmi

Talks have taken place that may see bmi operate flights between Heathrow and Shannon Airport, taking over from Aer Lingus who recently announced the closure of their own link.

Irish newspaper The Post reports that discussions have taken place between the airline and the airport operators, Shannon Airport Authority, although it says that "a breakthrough is not imminent".

bmi revamps website for improved usability

© bmi

bmi has revamped its website to make it more user-friendly.

Together with online service agency Foviance, the airline has designed its site "to fulfil the needs and expectations of the modern traveller ... by enhancing the content and quality of the site to create an engaging and rewarding user experience".

bmi's passengers were questioned on what improvements they wanted to see, and a usability audit of the old site was conducted in order to find what could be improved.

Increased flights to Scotland from Manchester

A new return flight between Manchester and Edinburgh is to be added to the existing bmi route map from later this month.

The Travel Mole website reports that the airline will operate the additional flights from October 28, offering up to eight flights each weekday in either direction and a total of 88 flights every week on the route.

Bmi to fly non-stop from Heathrow to Tel Aviv

Bmi has announced that it plans to start flying a non-stop service between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv in the spring.

The daily service will be the result of ongoing bilateral talks between the governments of Israel and the UK to open up the route to another UK and Israeli carrier.

"I congratulate both the UK and Israeli governments in recognising the need to bring wider competition to air travel between the two countries," said Nigel Turner, chief executive of bmi.

17 new routes from bmi

© bmi

bmi has today (Tuesday, September 4) announced 17 new routes from Heathrow Airport.

The carrier will begin operating to the new destinations, including Minsk, Kuwait City, Lahore and Tel Aviv, out of the airport's Terminal 1 on October 28 this year.

The introduction of the new destinations marks the largest ever expansion of the airline's route network and brings the total number of destinations served by bmi from Heathrow up to 36.

bmi regional: extra Aberdeen-Manchester flight

bmi Regional has announced that it is to add an extra return flight between Aberdeen and Manchester. The new route will be officially launched on September 3 and will operate Monday to Friday.

Outbound flights will depart from Manchester at 1:45pm and arrive in Aberdeen at 2:55pm, while inbound flights will leave Aberdeen at 3:35pm and arrive in Manchester at 4:35pm.

As a result of this new route, bmi regional now offers 14 flights between the two cities every weekday, making it the most frequent scheduled service at Aberdeen.

Bmi passengers can add insurance to bookings

Bmi has expanded the range of optional extras available to passengers on its website with the introduction of travel insurance.

Those making flights bookings at www.flybmi.com will be able to choose single trip or yearly multi-trip insurance from leading provider AIG without having to go through the rigmarole of entering their personal details a second time.

The system has been made possible using the Amadeus e-Retail system, which gives passengers a link through to the terms and conditions of the insurance policy and makes sure they receive a confirmation email after a booking is made.

Bmi to launch Heathrow to Cairo flights

Bmi has announced that it will start flying from London Heathrow to Cairo from October 28.

The daily connection will be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft with Business and Economy Class, and return tickets will begin at £878 (including taxes and charges) in the former and £299 in the latter.

Flights will depart from Heathrow at 9.05am, arriving in Cairo at 3.50pm. On the way back, flights will leave Egypt at 4.40pm and touch down in the UK at 7.50pm.

bmi tops punctuality standings in the UK

Figures from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have shown that bmi and bmi regional were the UK’s most punctual airlines during the first quarter of 2007.

bmi’s on time performance at its main hub of London Heathrow stood at 80 per cent of flights on time during the period and delays averaged 10 minutes.

In the UK overall bmi regional maintained its position as number one for on-time performance with 92 per cent of flights on time and average delays of six minutes. bmi was third overall with 80 per cent of flights on time and average delays of just under ten minutes.

bmi outlines flight strategy with new aircraft

bmi, the UK's second largest full-service airline, has acquired ten additional aircraft in order to further its strategy of developing routes from London Heathrow.

Firstly, five Airbus A330s will begin to be delivered next spring and will complement the airline's existing fleet of three of these aircraft.

Next, the airline will take delivery of five new Airbus A321s, to build on the route network provided by BMED (British Mediterranean Airways), which bmi recently took over.

bmi offers link between Glasgow and Copenhagen

A new connecting service between Glasgow and Copenhagen has been launched by bmi, giving passengers the chance to take a day return flight.

The airline launched the weekday service today (July 9) that will operate via Leeds Bradford Airport, complementing its existing non-stop direct evening flight.

bmi’s Peter Kenworth said: “This new connection complements our evening non-stop service between Glasgow and Copenhagen providing a day-return facility for the first time and giving passengers the opportunity to spend a full six hours in Copenhagen.”

Prices cut for business travellers on bmi

Business travellers on six new bmi routes are being offered the chance to make a 25 per cent saving on ticket prices.

The deals are available for travel between July 9 and August 31 on the following bmi routes: Edinburgh-Zurich; Leeds Bradford-Copenhagen; Leeds Bradford-Lille; Aberdeen-Brussels; Aberdeen-Kristiansand; and Manchester-Lyon services.

bmi reschedules flights to Norway

bmi is to reschedule its flights to Aberdeen from Heathrow, Manchester and Norwich airports so that passengers can travel on to the Norwegian city of Kristiansand. The changes will come into effect on July 30.

Kristiansand is known for its oil and shipping industries and bmi says Aberdeen airport will act as a hub between the UK and Norway.

Peter Kenworthy, Commercial Director of bmi regional, said: “With this reschedule we can offer customers a greater choice of connections in Aberdeen, creating what is virtually a mini-hub for flights to Kristiansand from the UK.

Bmi replaces full meals with sandwiches on short-haul flights

UK airline bmi has begun serving sandwiches on shorter flights in place of full meals, but has stressed that in-flight food will remain healthy.

Phil Shepherd, a spokesman for the airline, said that the food had "very much changed" on short-haul flights.

"We do hot sandwiches and ciabattas, and the response to that has been very good," he said. "When you are only flying for an hour or two, that is the kind of thing that people want, rather than a full meal."

Bmi improves in-flight menu offerings

Bmi has revamped the in-flight menus on its long-haul routes.

The airline, which flies non-stop to Antigua, Barbados, Chicago and Las Vegas from Manchester, and to Riyadh and Jeddah from London Heathrow, employed a special panel to devise the new culinary offerings.

Passengers in economy and premium economy class flying from Manchester will be able to tuck into roast beef with roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding or macaroni cheese with sun-dried tomatoes.

Manchester to Lyon link from bmi regional

A new air link between Manchester and Lyon begins today (May 25), thanks to UK airline bmi regional.

Operating daily, the connection will be the only direct flight between the two cities after British Airways dropped its own service. Fares begin at £54 one-way, including taxes and extra charges.

On each day except Sunday, flights leave Manchester at 10.30am, arriving in Lyon at 1.15pm. On the way back, flights leave the French city at 1.50pm, touching down in Manchester at 2.45pm.

Bmi plans UK to US flights from next spring

British airline bmi is planning to launch flights between the UK and the US from the end of March next year.

As the carrier reported record profits earlier this week (see related Cheapflights story), chairman Sir Michael Bishop said that flights across 'the Pond' would begin following the implementation of the newly-brokered Open Skies agreement.

"The transatlantic Open Skies decision will create genuine competition and enable bmi to provide services to the US from our operational hub at Heathrow from March 2008," he said.

Profits take off at bmi

Leading UK airline bmi enjoyed soaring profits in 2006 and is looking to further improve its financial performance this year.

Pre-tax profits at the carrier, which has large hubs at Manchester Airport and London Heathrow, increased by 85.5 per cent to £10.2 million over the 12 months. This was up from £5.5 million in 2005.

It also managed to reduce its debt by a third to £57.2 million, and boarded a total of 10.5 million passengers.

bmi sets sights on future expansion

Airline bmi is looking to add a number of long-haul destinations to its route network after boosting operating profits by 85 per cent last year.

In its year end statement bmi said it had faced challenges from the introduction of security measures at UK airports last August, as well as severe flight disruption in December when heavy fog grounded many flights.

But despite these difficulties the airline was able to triple pre-tax profits to £29.7 million and is looking to expand the number of flights it offers following the acquisition of BMED and the signing of an "open skies" agreement between Europe and the US (see: EU and US finally ink Open Skies agreement).

Possible partnership between bmi and United Airlines

UK airline bmi is looking to link up with the US-based United Airlines in order to seamlessly link the trans-Atlantic ticketing service of both airlines.

According to The Times the airlines have made an application to the US Department of Transport that would see them working closer together, yet remain two separate operations.

"This paves the way to an alliance, it does not guarantee it," bmi chief executive Nigel Turner told the newspaper. "We want to put in place all the steps now to fully take advantage of 'open skies'."

Possible partnership between bmi and United Airlines

UK airline bmi is looking to link up with the US-based United Airlines in order to seamlessly link the trans-Atlantic ticketing service of both airlines.

According to The Times the airlines have made an application to the US Department of Transport that would see them working closer together, yet remain two separate operations.

"This paves the way to an alliance, it does not guarantee it," bmi chief executive Nigel Turner told the newspaper. "We want to put in place all the steps now to fully take advantage of 'open skies'."

Bmi improves offering for business travellers

Bmi has launched a new initiative aimed at business travellers and members of the airline's diamond club frequent flyer programme.

A new diamond club tier - blue plus - has been created, which is automatically attained by those members accruing 3,000 miles or more over a 12-month period.

Now, holders of blue plus, silver and gold cards will receive complimentary food and drink onboard bmi flights, as well as priority seating towards the front of the aircraft.

Bmi regional tops punctuality poll

Bmi regional was the most punctual scheduled airline at UK airports last year, according to the latest Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) statistics.

The airline, which has hubs in Aberdeen and Manchester, had average delays of only five minutes, and 91 per cent of its flights were on time (defined as leaving or arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled time) over the 12-month period.

Eastern Airways was in second place, with an average delay of 7 minutes and a punctuality rate of 86 per cent. Next was VLM Airlines, with a 10-minute average delay and a punctuality rate of 79 per cent.

Aberdeen link to Norway takes to the skies

A new route launched by bmi between Aberdeen and Kristiansand, Norway's fifth largest city, took off today.

The service will operate six days a week, except Saturday. While acknowledging that the route will primarily appeal to business passengers, bmi is hoping to open up a new destination to holidaymakers.

Stewart Adams, managing director of bmi regional, said: “We are delighted to be starting services from our base at Aberdeen to Kristiansand. Not only do we expect this to be a popular route with business and industry, but also with the inbound and outbound leisure traveller.

Manchester to Lyon service launched by bmi

Daily flights from Manchester to Lyon will be offered by bmi regional starting May 25; filling the gap left by the BA Connect and Flybe merger that saw the existing route cancelled.

Flights will be available seven days a week, although Saturday's service does not begin until June 30, with return tickets starting from £95 inclusive of fees and charges.

bmi regional’s Stewart Adams said: "We are delighted to be flying to Lyon from this Spring. I am sure that Manchester travellers will be relieved that they can still travel direct to this glorious French city.

"After Flybe and BA Connect decided to leave their passengers in the lurch and cancel the route, passengers from Manchester can now fly with bmi regional and be assured of the punctual services on comfortable jet aircraft with a great flight schedules and low fares."

Leeds Bradford link to Copenhagen

A new service operated by bmi between Leeds Bradford Airport and Copenhagen took to the skies this morning.

Daily flights will be on offer between the two destinations and the first passengers were welcomed at check-in by staff offering pastries and waving Danish flags.

Sally Ramsey, of Leeds Bradford International Airport, said: "This new service is going to be popular with both business and leisure passengers and is a welcome addition to the ever growing number of destinations available from Leeds Bradford Airport.”

bmi calls for passenger support on open skies agreement

bmi is calling on its passengers to email the Secretary of State for Transport asking him to press ahead on reaching an agreement that promises "open skies" across the Atlantic.

In a statement on its website, bmi says the Government must remain "resolute" to secure a deal that would allow European airlines to fly from anywhere in the European Union to any airport in the US without restrictions on pricing and capacity.

At present, under the Bermuda II Agreement, there are only two carriers allowed to fly between the UK and the US: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

bmi announces latest BMED acquisition

bmi has outlined its plans for BMED, the former British Airways (BA) franchise partner which it bought last month for £30 million and hopes to incorporate into its network in time for the launch of its winter timetable.

Until the end of October BMED will continue to operate as a franchise partner of BA with no changes on its routes, but by then its services will be transferred from Terminal 4 at Heathrow to Terminal 1.

In outlining bmi's future plans the airline's chief executive Nigel Turner said they intended to retain BMED's "essence" but warned that job losses were likely at its head office.

Bmi regional adds frequencies on Scotland routes

Bmi regional is to begin extra services between Scotland and Manchester and Leeds Bradford for the summer season (between March 26 and October 28).

Between Aberdeen and Manchester, two extra return flights will boost weekday services to six per day.

Bmi prioritises diamond club members

Bmi has announced new benefits for members of its exclusive frequent flyer programme.

Having investigated possibilities during an eight-month consultation period, London Heathrow's second largest airline has announced that all diamond club members will be offered complimentary food and drink during the flight as well as priority seating at the front of the aircraft.

In place from April 2, the new initiative will also include a "blue plus" tier, awarded to those who achieve 3,000 status miles within a year.

Link to Lille from Leeds Bradford launched by bmi

In April bmi will be launching the first direct flights between the UK and Lille, in northern France.

The airline will link Leeds Bradford with Lille six days a week, Sunday to Friday, beginning on April 23 with one-way tickets starting from £59 inclusive of fees and charges.

The new flights not only mark the first direct air route between the French airport and the UK, but will create an important air link between the two cities which are also twinned.
Stewart Adams, managing director of bmi regional, said: “This is an important addition to the bmi regional European flight network and underlines our commitment to serving Leeds Bradford Airport and the surrounding region.

Bmi regional takes advantage of APD loophole

Airline bmi regional is taking advantage of a loophole that will allow its business class passengers to pay the same rate of air passenger duty (APD) as those seated in economy class.

A higher rate of APD was controversially introduced by the government at the beginning of February, meaning that business class flyers now have to pay £20 for short-haul one-way flights and economy passengers must pay £10.

However, by removing the dividers between business and economy class, bmi regional has exposed a loophole, Travelmole reports.

Bmi regional to begin Aberdeen to Brussels flight

A new link between Aberdeen and Brussels from bmi regional is scheduled to commence on April 16.

The daily service will provide the first direct route between Aberdeen and the Belgian capital and will use Embraer aircraft.

Operating on each day of the week except Saturday, flights will depart Aberdeen at 12.15pm, arriving in Belgium at 3pm. On the way back, flights will take off from Brussels at 3.30pm and arrive back in Aberdeen at 4.10pm.

BMED rescued by bmi

Bmi has struck a £30 million deal to acquire the BA franchise airline British Mediterranean (BMED).

It emerged last month that BMED, which flies to volatile destinations such as Beirut, Khartoum and Tehran, was close to financial collapse after a potential rescue bid by the Lebanese Mikati family failed to materialise.

The Heathrow-based airline was hit hard by the high price of oil and last year's Israel - Lebanon conflict.

bmi makes online ticket prices transparent

Leading UK airline bmi has made the ticket prices displayed on its website totally transparent, including taxes, fees and extra charges.

From this week, passengers investigating the price of flights or making bookings online will be able to clearly see the total price of the ticket at every stage. Previously, the all-inclusive ticket price was only displayed at the summary stage of the booking process.

The display format also allows the passenger to see the various prices for outward flights displayed next to those for inbound flights. The combined fare for flights selected is shown below, clearly marked as the "total price including taxes and charges".

Bmi reinstates Heathrow to Jersey connection

Bmi is to launch a London Heathrow to Jersey flight, establishing the first direct link between the two destinations since 2001.

The twice-daily service will begin on March 25, with fares beginning at £26 one-way from Jersey, and £37.90 one-way from Heathrow (fares include taxes).

Flights will depart Heathrow at 7.10am and 6.40pm, arriving in Jersey at 8.10am and 7.40pm respectively.

Suspension of Paris flight brought forward by bmi

Bmi has brought forward the suspension of its service between London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Passengers booked to travel on or after February 26 will instead be asked to travel on either British Airways or Air France flights, with the airline saying it will contact customers affected.

Last week bmi said that it would be ending its link between London and Paris on March 25, blaming increased competition from both airlines and high-speed trains, but they have now brought forward its suspension.

Bmi offers to carry displaced BA passengers

Airline bmi has offered to carry passengers caught up in the threatened British Airways strike that could take place on January 29, 30 and 31.

Heathrow's second largest carrier will increase frequencies and use larger aircraft on the those routes it shares with BA to minimise disruption for passengers with tickets booked for early next week.

As previously reported, British Airways cabin crew members have voted in favour of industrial action that could cause delays and cancellations next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Paris flights suspended by bmi

Airline bmi has decided to suspend summer flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle from both London Heathrow and Leeds Bradford airports.

The decision has been made for “commercial reasons” and will mean that flights end on March 25, with the airline warning that additional cancellations may occur before that date.

For passengers set to fly with bmi from London to Paris the airline has said customers will be re-accommodated on flights operated by Air France or British Airways.

Three new European routes from bmi regional

Bmi regional has announced three new routes and additional frequencies that will come into effect on March 26.

Daily flights from Edinburgh to Zurich will depart at 10.05am (Monday to Friday), 7am (Saturday) and 11.15am (Sunday), touching down at 1.30pm, 10.25am and 2.40pm respectively. On the way back, flights will leave the Swiss city at 2pm (Monday to Friday), 10.55am (Saturday) and 3.10pm (Sunday), arriving back at 3.20pm, 12.05pm and 4.30pm.

Daily flights from Aberdeen to Kristiansand (Norway) will depart at 8.55am (Monday to Friday) and 3.50pm (Sunday), arriving at 11.10am and 6.05pm respectively. Return flights will leave at 11.35am (Monday to Friday) and 6.35pm (Sunday), reaching Aberdeen at midday and 7pm.

bmi flight to Moscow takes to skies

Bmi has launched its new service between Heathrow and Moscow Domodedovo Airport, giving travellers the chance to explore the Russian capital and beyond.

An agreement between bmi and the Russian airline, Transaero, means the two operators now offer four flights a day between London and Moscow.

Return tickets start from £198.50, including taxes, and passengers of both bmi and Transaero can take advantage of connecting flights on the other’s network.

Changes to bmi long-haul flights

A number of changes have been made by bmi to three long-haul flights over the coming week.

The airline has said that it has been forced to change the aircraft that operate flights between Manchester and Las Vegas, as well as Barbados, due to maintenance.

Airline staff are to contact business class passengers travelling to Las Vegas on October 31 as the Icelandair jet bmi has leased for the route only offers a two cabin service; economy and premium economy.

bmi grounds Mumbai service

Bmi has been forced to indefinitely suspend its daily service between Heathrow and Mumbai because of a technical problem on the Airbus A330 operating on the route.

Following the discovery of a cracked wing and problems with the landing gear, the plane was withdrawn from service and it is not known when it will be up and running again. It could be out of action until mid-December.

The airline has been looking for a replacement aircraft but has so far had no success, according to chief executive Nigel Turner.

Met Office to work with bmi on ice forecasts

bmi is to receive up to date information on problem weather conditions from the Met Office after it signed a deal with the organisation.

The airline will work close with weather service staff over the next three years following a successful trial that cut avoidable delays by more than 84 per cent.

The Met Office will provide forecasts of likely aircraft icing conditions and send warnings of when to de-ice planes directly to ground staff, or de-icing suppliers and, during critical weather situations, bmi staff will have telephone briefings from weather forecasters.

Lie-flat seats for bmi Manchester routes

bmi is to install lie-flat bed seats in business class on long-haul flights operated by Airbus 330 aircraft.

Speaking at an event to commemorate the first anniversary of the airline's Heathrow to Riyadh service, Sir Michael Bishop, Chairman, said the "Perseus" flat bed seats would be fitted by June next year, at a cost of £2 million.

bmi's Airbus 330 planes operate on routes from Manchester to Chicago, Las Vegas, Barbados and Antigua and from next spring they will be also used on the Riyadh and Jeddah routes.

bmi: more flights from Manchester to Scotland

bmi is to increase the frequency of flights on two of its routes from Manchester Airport to Scotland.

The airline currently flies from Manchester to Aberdeen four times a day. From October 29, bmi will add a new early morning and afternoon flight, taking it up to six flights a day.

On the Manchester to Glasgow route, there will be a new lunchtime flight, which will boost services from four to five every weekday.

bmi strike threat lifted

Unions representing pilots at bmi have come to an agreement with the airline’s management and lifted their threat of strike action.

A deal has been struck between the pilots’ union BALPA and the bmi group, bringing to an end possible industrial action that could have affected flights operated by bmi mainline.

Although a settlement with pilots operating bmi regional and bmibaby flights has yet to be finalised, it is hoped a similar deal will soon be completed.

Party with Suggs in bmi promotion

Airline bmi is running a promotion together with Virgin Radio offering participants the chance to win flights to certain destinations and party with Virgin DJ Suggs.

Focusing on the former Madness frontman's Virgin Radio Party Classics slot between 6pm and 10pm, the promotion will give listeners the chance to win flights to a party session at destinations over three consecutive months, beginning on September 15.

The first destination is the Irish capital Dublin and the winner will also receive a free stay in a hotel. At the same time, bmi will be running its "million seat sale" special offer.

More bmi pilots back strike call

© bmi

Union bosses representing pilots working for bmi have stressed they will ensure advanced notice is provided should their members go on strike.

Last week pilots with bmibaby voted for strike action, and this week pilots at bmi mainline, the original division of the company, and bmi regional backed their colleagues, warning they would stop work in protest at changes to wages and pensions.

Nigel Turner, bmi group’s chief executive, has written to the pilots’ union BALPA saying he looked forward to meeting with the union’s representatives.

bmi drops two winter routes

Two winter services operated by bmi have been cancelled.

Flights from Heathrow to Nice will end on October 28, and the next day will see the closing of the bmi route from Heathrow to Alicante.

Daily service to Moscow launched by bmi

An agreement has been signed between bmi and Russian airline Transaero to provide two daily return flights between Heathrow and Moscow Domodedovo Airport.

Both carriers will begin a return service on October 29 and the agreement also allows bmi to offer onward connections across Russia, and enable Transaero to do the same in the UK, Europe and further a field through the bmi network.

bmi is most punctual from Heathrow

Airline bmi is the most punctual scheduled carrier operating out of London Heathrow, according to Civil Aviation Authority statistics.

On three of the west London airport's busiest routes - Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Paris – the airline recorded better punctuality than any other carrier in the first three months of 2006.

Chairman of bmi calls for price transparency

The bmi chairman has taken a swipe at his airline’s competitors in light of recent investigations into price fixing on transatlantic routes.

Sir Michael Bishop said that UK and US governments should learn the lessons of 20 years of European deregulation, which have brought cheap flights to millions.

Last week authorities on both sides of the Atlantic launched a probe into alleged price collusion over transatlantic airfares and fuel surcharges involving British Airways after a tip-off from Virgin Atlantic. American Airlines and United Airlines are also cooperating with the investigation.

Boost to bmi flights

The frequency of the bmi service between Edinburgh and Manchester is to be increased to six flights every weekday from the autumn.

The airline will begin operating a new midday flight from September 4, with tickets starting at £27 one-way, inclusive of charges.

The boost in the popularity of the route has come from more business people opting to use the service and travellers using Manchester as a jump off point for international destinations.

bmi passengers drive off with cheaper car hire

Airline bmi is offering exclusive Hertz car hire deals for all passengers who book online or through the company's call centre.

bmi is the second largest airline in the UK and flies to destinations such as Alicante, Naples and Paris from many major and regional airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Southampton and Nottingham East Midlands.

bmi regional ends Stornoway connection

Regional airline bmi is to suspend its service between Edinburgh and Stornoway, on the island of Lewis, because it is not economically viable.

The airline said that the link would stop on July 29; passengers with tickets booked for after this cancellation date can either get a refund or can transfer to the new Loganair service.

New direct link to Jeddah from bmi

Airline bmi has announced a new thrice-weekly service from London Heathrow to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The service will take off from London on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, with return flights to Heathrow operating on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The new link represents the first direct connection between Heathrow and Jeddah in 14 months and builds on current operations to Saudi Arabia from bmi, which began flying to the Saudi capital Riyadh eight months ago.

Bmi has introduced the new route in response to business demand and the business class seats on the route will number 42. Meanwhile, business class seats on the Riyadh route have been upped from 24 to 42.

bmi to start flights from Southampton to Amsterdam

Southampton is to welcome the first bmi flights to be operated from the airport when the airline begins a connection to Amsterdam.

The new service will depart for the Netherlands four times daily Monday to Friday, once on Saturday and twice on Sunday with a flight schedule timed to meet the needs of both business and leisure passengers.

bmi regional named most punctual

The most punctual scheduled airline at UK airports is bmi regional, according to punctuality resource www.flightontime.info.

The website reveals that the average delay for the airline's passengers last year was 6.76 minutes, with 88.59 per cent being held up for less than 15 minutes.

The results actually represented an increase in average delay times from last year for bmi regional - the figure for 2004 was 6.52 minutes. However, the airline managed to retain its number one spot, with Easter Airways and VLM Airlines completing the top three.

bmi complete move at Manchester Airport

It’s all change for bmi flights leaving Manchester from the beginning of June, as the airline is to complete its move to terminal three.

Long haul services to the USA and Caribbean, as well as the regional Toulouse service, will leave their current home in terminal one and begin operations from terminal three on June 1.

Additional check-in desks and aircraft parking stands have been secured, helping to focus and streamline day-to-day operations in a single location.

Mumbai flights go daily

This Saturday will see bmi start a daily service to Mumbai from Heathrow, increasing the frequency of flights on the route from the current four times a week.

Despite the fact that the route has been in operation for less than a year, bmi is confident that passengers will appreciate the increased flexibility the new flights will provide.