SNAPPER,
BMI Charter flights are usually sold by Tour Operators but I think you can book them through BMI's website much like other charter airlines in the uk.

I am not sure when they go on sale but most Summer 2010 Holidays and Flights are available now.

Z.J.C

There is plenty of chat going on regarding the future of BMI with major stakeholders Lufthansa discussing selling the airline. British Airways - it is alledged - are interested however this could be mostly for the lucrative Heathrow slots.

It is not known what this would mean for BMIBaby should the mainstream BMI be bought out.

Nivsy

BmiBaby & Germanwings

Under a new agreement, BmiBaby and Germanwings are to list each others flights on their website.

Germanwings is the third largest German airline, it is a part of the Lufthansa Group which took over UK carrier bmi earlier this year which includes bmibaby.

This new agreement will come into operation on October 25th

Gower

Bmi cuts routes and jobs

Five routes from Heathrow are being dropped by Bmi as the carrier battles against "unprecedented market conditions".

Flights to Tel Aviv, Kiev, Aleppo, Amsterdam and Brussels are being suspended.

Job cuts will come from all areas of the business, operational and corporate functions.

The number of full-time equivalent jobs at risk of redundancy is expected to be approximately 600.

But further job cuts "cannot be ruled" out as corporate overheads will also be cut to reflect the reduced flying programme, the airline said.

Management has today commenced consultations with unions and staff representatives with a view to minimising the number of compulsory job losses wherever possible.

A lease agreement on two wide body Airbus A330s is to end in April next year, meaning a smaller A321 will operate the Heathrow-Cairo route.
The restructuring programme will see the following routes dropped:

* London Heathrow-Tel Aviv. Last flight ex Heathrow 9 January 2010, last flight ex Tel Aviv 10 January 2010.
* London Heathrow-Kiev. Last flights 10 January 2010.
* London Heathrow-Aleppo. Last flight ex Heathrow 9 January 2010, last flight ex Aleppo 10 January 2010.
* London Heathrow-Amsterdam. Last flights 27 March 2010
* London Heathrow-Brussels. Last flights 9 January 2010.


The Lufthansa-owned airline will focus on routes serving oil, energy and emerging markets with a particular focus on business class passengers and those visiting friends and relatives.

Bmi said it is to maintain its current UK and Ireland network providing frequency for business travellers and feeder connections for its own network and that of Star Alliance.

Routes are being suspended to "improve the profitability" of the carrier.

Lufthansa is "committed to helping Bmi restructure the airline to return it to profitability."

Bmi managing director Dominic Paul said: "We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience the route suspensions cause our customers and travel agents and would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have supported us on these routes for their loyalty and business.

"Agents holding Bmi bookings on affected routes need to ticket by 1 December to be eligible for reprotection.

"Agents will be contacted from 2 December with reprotection options."

With permission from Travelmole

Further to the post above BMI are also by the end of March reducing services from Dublin to Londons Heathrow and likely to close their operational base at Dublin utilising Heathrow based aircraft only.

They also have a removal plan in place for a number of Airbus 320's. Looks as if Lufthansa are really intending to streamline the BMI operation to ensure competitive survival......

Nivsy

BMI are now withdrawing Business class on all UK and Ireland flights and re pricing their fully flexible fares. By doing so Gold,Silver and Blue Plus card holders in their frequent flyer programme loose the free refreshments that are currently enjoyed regardless of class of travel. Refreshments will only be offered to fully flexible ticket holders. Another change in the ever changing policies of BMI which is likely to annoy their frequent flyer card holders.

Nivsy

I've been watching a flight to Edinburgh for a couple of weeks. The pattern seems to be one price when I log on around 7am & another when I next log on around 4pm. It sems to be going up & down like a yo yo, varying between 4p and £22.99. I know its still cheap, but when you add the taxes on there's quite a difference per couple. I've got around 3 weeks to the date I'd like to fly, should I hang on just in case it comes really low again?

Anyone know anything about BMI flights to Faro from East Midlands.
Can't book them on line.

marn,

Welcome onboard
Have you been looking at Bmi (maniline) or Bmi Baby?. They are seperate airlines. Bmi Baby have flights available from EMA-FAO.

Darren

Helen,

I assume you are referring to BMI Baby flying to Edinburgh from the regions..... all I can say is if the price looks right - book it.

On a slightly related issue - BM Baby are pulling from the Birmingham-Glasgow route.

Nivsy

Getting really fed up with BMI baby as we're now on our 2nd set of amended flight times for a 10 day break in May to Bordeaux.

Originally booked the flights in December + the cottage - everything OK.

1st amendment came through end of January - same day flights but later times which we could live with. By this time we'd already booked the car hire + parking at Manchester Airport.

Yesterday, another email, flight times changed again, but also we've lost 3 days - now flying Saturday to Saturday instead of Saturday to Tuesday as originally booked - which really messes everything up regarding cottage, hire car, etc. (We do have travel insurance).

Any bets as to when our flight times are amended again??

sorry to hear about your probs with BMI Baby. Like all low cost airlines they can and do change time tables especially when flights are announced well in advance and it is a risk that passengers have to consider especially when booking such things as car parking, car hire, accommodation etc. Often things work out as planned but when they dont headaches arise.

Not much comfort for you -but sometimes it is better to look at scheduled operations however they can even change and ofcourse more oftn than not resultin a trip to Heathrow and a lesser extent Gatwick.

I guess customer services ar BMI Baby have been contacted? Might be worthwhile explaining to them although I doubt you will get much sympathy.....

Nivsy

and more bad news for annie ...

it's unlikely your travel insurance will cover this - it happens too often and insurers seldom give cover for things that happen!

Anyone know what is going on with the bmibaby website, when I try to look up flights for Manchester to Palma it is saying no flights.

Assuming that there are flights between the two destinations the problem could be just around the BMI Baby website. It has been changed and reconfigured fairly recently and the general reports are that it is not loading correctly, crashes easily, and not nearly as reliable as previous...like all things if it ain't broke - don't fix it.

Keep on trying......

Nivsy

Thanks,
Been with BMIBABY for last two years with no prob, seen the flights in Dec 2009 and were the same as the last two years so was about to book with them again, I am now glad I held back as the morrning flights are now night flights and like I said cannot get on there websit so it looks like it is going to be jet2 but at the moment they are not what you say low cost coming in at £903.00 for four of us in Aug 2010.

Hello

If you book with BMIBABY can anyone answer me the following two points please :-

1. If you check in online for your outward flight - I assume that for your return flight a week or so later you have to try and check in from an internet point abroad as you can not check in for the return this far in advance ?

2. If you do not prebook seats - how are your seats notified to you if you have checked in online and have hand luggage only ? They say on their website there is no " scrum " for seats so they must be allocated but who tells you which row and seat you are in and when are you told please !!

Thank you

I think you'll find, as we did flying to/from Bordeaux recently, that you can't check in online on the return leg.
(Someone please correct me if wrong)

Seats are allocated at checkin - whether online or at airport.

Thanks for the reply !

If you have checked in online why do you need to go to the check in desk please ? Perhaps I am missing something obvious here !

As for the return flight - what do you do ? pay the extra for not checking in on line ? Thanks