Bmibaby cuts regional routes
Five routes are being suspended by Bmibaby from Birmingham next summer.
Services being dropped between March 29 and October 24 are to Rome, Milan, Lisbon, Madrid and Bordeaux.
This will leave the budget carrier with 16 routes from the airport in summer 2009.
Bmibaby is also suspending routes from Manchester to Madrid and East Midlands to Prague for next summer.
The cuts will lead to the loss of 65 jobs at Birmingham and five at East Midlands.
The budget airline said it was commencing a 30 day consultation period with unions and staff representatives "in order to minimise the impact of potential compulsory job losses".
A spokesman said: "These seasonal summer 2009 routes are being suspended in response to a weakening of consumer demand, which is being impacted upon by the current economic climate and its unpredictability.
"Travellers are now booking to fly to typical sun destinations for their annual holiday, rather than flying to the more impulsive short-break city destinations.
"In sharp contrast, the key Mediterranean routes from Birmingham are performing extremely well and bmibaby will continue to operate flights to the following destinations: Malaga, Alicante, Faro, Palma Mallorca, Nice, Barcelona, Murcia, Amsterdam, Prague, Edinburgh, Belfast International, Glasgow International, Ireland West Knock, Cork, Aberdeen and Geneva."
Passengers holding bookings for the suspended routes will be contacted by the airline be offered a full refund. Alternatively they can transfer free of charge to another bmibaby.
The airline said it was committed to flying from Birmingham International Airport with 10,000 flights planned to and from the airport in 2009.
With permission from Travelmole
Budget airline switches away from cities
Bmibaby is dropping three city routes and replacing them with resort destinations.
Cardiff flights to Amsterdam and Glasgow are being axed along with Birmingham to Cork.
They are being replaced with a service from South Wales to Almeria in Spain between May 22 and October 22 and a Birmingham to Newquay route between May 22 and September 20.
The Almeria flights will run twice a week from Cardiff and the Cornwall connection from Birmingham will operate four times a week.
Passengers booked from Cardiff to Amsterdam and to Glasgow, and from Birmingham to Cork for travel after March 29 will be contacted by the airline and offered an alternative flight or a full refund.
Prices from Cardiff to Almeria start at £41.99 one way, and from Birmingham to Newquay at £13.99 one way, including taxes and charges.
The airline expects to carry more than 13,500 passengers on the Almeria service, and 20,000 on the Newquay route during the summer.
Managing director Crawford Rix said: "The airline industry is currently seeing a weakening in demand from consumers for impulsive city breaks and an increase for typical sun destinations; this is a direct result of the current economic climate.
"In order to meet the demand for more beach routes, we will be replacing two of our city routes from Cardiff - Amsterdam and Glasgow - with the new route to Almeria, and replacing the route from Birmingham to Cork with the new service to Newquay.
"This will enable us to meet the high consumer demand for services to beach destinations."
With permission from Travelmole
Bmibaby is dropping three city routes and replacing them with resort destinations.
Cardiff flights to Amsterdam and Glasgow are being axed along with Birmingham to Cork.
They are being replaced with a service from South Wales to Almeria in Spain between May 22 and October 22 and a Birmingham to Newquay route between May 22 and September 20.
The Almeria flights will run twice a week from Cardiff and the Cornwall connection from Birmingham will operate four times a week.
Passengers booked from Cardiff to Amsterdam and to Glasgow, and from Birmingham to Cork for travel after March 29 will be contacted by the airline and offered an alternative flight or a full refund.
Prices from Cardiff to Almeria start at £41.99 one way, and from Birmingham to Newquay at £13.99 one way, including taxes and charges.
The airline expects to carry more than 13,500 passengers on the Almeria service, and 20,000 on the Newquay route during the summer.
Managing director Crawford Rix said: "The airline industry is currently seeing a weakening in demand from consumers for impulsive city breaks and an increase for typical sun destinations; this is a direct result of the current economic climate.
"In order to meet the demand for more beach routes, we will be replacing two of our city routes from Cardiff - Amsterdam and Glasgow - with the new route to Almeria, and replacing the route from Birmingham to Cork with the new service to Newquay.
"This will enable us to meet the high consumer demand for services to beach destinations."
With permission from Travelmole
I have only just booked and am I correct in thinking that I am allowed 20kg for suitcase AND 5kg hand lugguage on a BMI flight?
I have just found out that BMI will no longer be flying from Leeds - Bradford to Copenhagen from the end of this month. I had booked seats on this route for September of this year. Luckily I have now booked with SAS from Birmingham and have obtained a full refund from BMI.
BMI cuts routes amid rising costs .. click here for more info
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Edited by
David
2009-02-19 19:51:18
Post edited for copyright reasons. Weblink inserted to replace quoted text.
Bmi shuts 'unsustainable' domestic services
Bmi is to close air links between the north of England and London after 40 years.
Routes to Heathrow from Leeds/Bradford and Durham Tees Valley will end on March 28.
The end of the two domestic air connections to the London hub are part of summer changes by the airline.
Frequency on European short haul routes between Heathrow and Amsterdam is being reduced to four a day while the Heathrow-Dublin service is cut to six a day.
"The decision to withdraw services between London and the North of England was a tough one, as we have operated these routes since 1969," a statement said.
"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."
Bmi is reducing flights to Addis Ababa to three a week while services to Beirut and Amman rise to ten a week each from May 22.
With permission from Travelmole
Bmi is to close air links between the north of England and London after 40 years.
Routes to Heathrow from Leeds/Bradford and Durham Tees Valley will end on March 28.
The end of the two domestic air connections to the London hub are part of summer changes by the airline.
Frequency on European short haul routes between Heathrow and Amsterdam is being reduced to four a day while the Heathrow-Dublin service is cut to six a day.
"The decision to withdraw services between London and the North of England was a tough one, as we have operated these routes since 1969," a statement said.
"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."
Bmi is reducing flights to Addis Ababa to three a week while services to Beirut and Amman rise to ten a week each from May 22.
With permission from Travelmole
got some flights booked at easter and taking the mother in law who is registered disabled ,she is able to walk just the steps to plane
that are a problem
have notified BMI but just wondered if they were ok and if there is anything i should be aware of ?
used Thomson before with assistance and they were absolutely spot on ,couldnt do enough to help
Wonder if anyone can help. I have been asked to book a holiday to Dalaman in August for members of my familly. I have found a good deal, and the flight number begins BD which I think is BMI. I was wondering if baggage is included in there standard price, as it doesnt say and I dont want to book it and then be hit with a big baggage bill on top, which has happened to me in the past.
Steve
Dazbo may be able to give you more details regarding baggage allowances as this flight while operated by British Midland International could be subject to baggage restrictions/weight differences from the "normal" British Midland scheduled flights (in fact will be I am sure).
My first thought would be to check with the tour operator/booking agent if that is possible. No sign of baggage allowances within the small print?
Nivsy
Doesnt tell you anything about baggage, and I have had experience with this operator in the past. They don't offer you baggage untill you have already paid for the flight, then they sting you afterwards and say that it doesnt include baggage but you;ve already paid for the flight so have no option other than to pay the extra or go without.
Members of my famil flew with BMI last summer and got the 20KG baggage alowance free. This may be because of the tour operator they booked through
Alasdair
Thanks for your responses. I think I'll e-mail the travel agent. If baggage is included then it's not a bad price for August.
Here Is BMI's Baggage Advice
As Far As I Am Aware Baggage Is Included Up To A Maximum Weight Of 20kgs Per Person
But Is Is Best To Check With Your Tour Operator
Gower
Yeah there can easily be a difference between BMI "normal" baggage allowance and that when the airplane is operated on behalf of a tour company/agency. That means that BMI allowances maybe NOT be applicable. Best to check.
Thanks guys.
This is be a bmi charter so you'll have their standard luggage allowance of 20kg + 5kg hand luggage. You'll normlly have meals included as well (standard charter arrangements).
Darren
The tour operator has informed me they will be charging £44 per person for check in baggage, £22 per person per way. I think this is prob the Tour operator being greedy.
Glad you checked Steve - hopefully it is still worth it for you.
That is silly. The tour operator will have chartered bmi to operate the flight. Under the standard T&C's for bmi charter, passengers get luggage alowance and you don't need to pay for it. That's the first time I've heard them charging for luggage anyway and £44 per person, scanderlous. That's definately the tour operator being greedy, not bmi.
Darren
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