BMI pulling a flight from Dublin

Fratton Fred

There is a thread on the travel forum regarding BMI removing the A320 they have based in Dublin (sorry, I'm on a mobile so can't link to it or the article).

What does this mean for the Airport? Will it mean ground staff being cut? Why would BMI doing this, are DA charging them an excessive amount or are BMI simply cost cutting?

With only four flights a day, I guess the need for a business class lounge will diminish as well.

therecklessone

Removing the Dublin-based a/c Fred, which I guess will mean no early morning deps from Dublin, and no late evening deps from Heathrow.

To take effect from March.

Shame.

therecklessone

Further to that, the flybmi.ie site is unavailable for maintenance and it doesn't seem possible to book flights departing from Ireland on the UK site at the moment, so I'd expect some changes are being made.

Fratton Fred

I really hope they don't pull out entirely.

bazzachazza

33 hosties to be cut or moved out of Dublin.

OPENROAD

Doesn't look good :(:(:(:(

handsomecake

doesnt look good for hosties/engineers/ground staff

therecklessone

First flight ex-Dublin 8:40, last flight ex-London 18:30.

Fratton Fred

therecklessone wrote: »

First flight ex-Dublin 8:40, last flight ex-London 18:30.

Which avoids the busiest times. Strange move by BMI, looks like my days of flying with them are over.

OPENROAD

therecklessone wrote: »

First flight ex-Dublin 8:40, last flight ex-London 18:30.

:(:(:(

Doesn't make sense.

Feel for the Dublin based crew who have been excellent over the years

OPENROAD

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Which avoids the busiest times. Strange move by BMI, looks like my days of flying with them are over.

Just looking at the new timetable

APM

Just to clarify the above, they have an A319 based in Dub and not a 320 which will be pulled. Almost all of the services now are A319's on DUB-LHR.

I've heard that Etihad will be increasing the flights from Dublin for the summer which makes me wonder are a lot of the people who use the BMI service for connections to Australia and the East now changing to the more convenient Etihad service through Abu Dhabi?

Fratton Fred

APM wrote: »

Just to clarify the above, they have an A319 based in Dub and not a 320 which will be pulled. Almost all of the services now are A319's on DUB-LHR.

I've heard that Etihad will be increasing the flights from Dublin for the summer which makes me wonder are a lot of the people who use the BMI service for connections to Australia and the East now changing to the more convenient Etihad service through Abu Dhabi?

Etihad passengers can use the BMI lounge as well.

Dublinflyer

The reason behind it is very simple, lufthansa who owns BMI, wants to make use of the LHR slot for a more profitable route. I am sure Aer Lingus was happy to hear they are leaving. :cool:

Fratton Fred

Now they are taking our free sandwiches away!!

I've just had a mail from BMI stating that from 27th January, all UK and Ireland flights will no longer have a business class cabin and that two fares will apply, Economy and Economy Flexible. People on the Flex fare will sit at the front of the cabin and get complimentary food and drinks. The complimentary food and drinks for Gold, Silver and Blue Plus card holders will no longer be available.

Bugger, no more breakfast panninis.

alpha2zulu

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Now they are taking our free sandwiches away!!

Bugger, no more breakfast panninis.

Yeah I got that myself too, and not just for lowly blue-plus cardholders like myself, even gold card holders will have to cough up for a coffee now!
The business fares on the route were always pretty scarily priced considering all you seem to get is a lunchbox and lounge access.

Must be a decent opportunity for Herr Mueller to jazz up the EI Gold Circle and entice some custom over becuase with all the BD schedule cuts BD has certainly become much less business friendly for DUB-LHR flights. Must be only a couple of years since they had up to 8 almost entirely A321 flights on the route, not nice seeing it all slowly disappear.

KC61

Sad to see this - bmi were always my airline of choice on Dublin/London. I'll still use them where possible but it looks like major changes afoot.

I am particularly sad for the Irish based cabin crew, who I think have been superb. One senior cabin crew in particular, Margaret (and any regular flyer with bmi will know her) is probably the best advert for the company - always attentive, professional, and a pleasure to travel with.

How much longer I wonder before they pull the cash + miles option for redeeming points in Diamond Club and bring it into line with Miles & More?

OPENROAD

What are bmi doing :(:(:(:(


Can understand taking the benefits fron blue plus members but Silvers and Golds

OPENROAD

KC61 wrote: »

Sad to see this - bmi were always my airline of choice on Dublin/London. I'll still use them where possible but it looks like major changes afoot.

I am particularly sad for the Irish based cabin crew, who I think have been superb. One senior cabin crew in particular, Margaret (and any regular flyer with bmi will know her) is probably the best advert for the company - always attentive, professional, and a pleasure to travel with.

How much longer I wonder before they pull the cash + miles option for redeeming points in Diamond Club and bring it into line with Miles & More?

+1

A real professional. I remember on one occassion she went out of her way on a delayed/fully booked A321to jig people around so my mum could sit with me.

Both the UK and Dublin based crew are excellent and it is what distinguishes bmi from the compeition, it is a pleasure to fly with bmi, but I worry the direction things are heading in.

kkd

Aer Lingus will gradually increase their fares also!

therecklessone

OPENROAD wrote: »

Both the UK and Dublin based crew are excellent and it is what distinguishes bmi from the compeition, it is a pleasure to fly with bmi, but I worry the direction things are heading in.

+1
I have never had a bad experience with BMI, even when delayed they treated us very well, and I've always complemented their cabin crew on the service.

StephenM_smc

How many aircraft do BMI currently operate on the route? I counted no less than 4 A32X's in BMI colours yesterday which seemed to be a nice collection to be on the ground at once!