bmi, the predicatable airline...

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20 years 10 months

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bmi regional has today confirmed that it has submitted a tender to the Department of Transport to operate three Irish domestic routes.

The routes are Kerry-Dublin (currently operated by Aer Arann), Derry-Dublin (currently operated by Logan Air) and Knock-Dublin (currently operated by Aer Arann).

The company aims to start operating the routes on July 22, 2005, for three years.

The firms said there may be an option for to also operate a direct Kerry-London Heathrow service daily.

Crawford Rix, managing director – bmi regional said: "bmi already has a strong presence in the Irish marketplace, through our successful Dublin-London Heathrow service. At bmi regional, we also operate on the Cork-Leeds Bradford route.

"If successful in this tender, we would significantly expand our regional service offering, both in the wider bmi network, but particularly in Ireland. In addition, there may also be the opportunity for bmi in the future to offer a direct service from Kerry to London Heathrow, a significant development for that region."

bmi, which operates up to seven return flights daily on the Dublin-London Heathrow route, first entered the Irish marketplace in 1989.

bmi recently announced that it is launching a four times weekly long haul service from Dublin, via London Heathrow, to Mumbai in India, with services commencing from May 14, 2005.

This will be followed shortly afterwards with the launch of a three times weekly service to Riyadh.

bmi also recently launched a range of new services for Irish passengers including self-service check-in at Dublin airport and a dedicated website for the Republic of Ireland.

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=142609882&p=y4z6yx588

What will bmi do next eh!

Original post

Member for

18 years 11 months

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Riyadh, huh? Wonder if it will bring success....

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20 years 2 months

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I honestly cannont see bmi getting these routes. Aer Arann have built up a great reputation in the Irish market.
The goverment will pay about €3 million to the winner and they will operate the routes but be warned they are far from high in demand. A recent newspaper article claimed the goverment were paying €300+ to Aer Arann for every passenger travelling on the DUB-NOC route simply becasue loads were dreadful.
My personal opinion is that Aer Arann should operate these route because they are an Irish airline and it would be a shame to have a British airline operating them. We shall see what happens.
I also think a KIR-LHR service would flop because Ryanair are operating from KIR to STN pretty succesfully and I dont think they would sit back and watch bmi start a London route and bmi wouldnt have the same level of connections from KIR as they would from DUB.

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19 years 5 months

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Im sure on pprune there was also a rumour of Knock-LHR. Could have an impact on Aer Arran's UK routes from Derry, Knock and Kerry

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20 years 1 month

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LOL! bmi make me laugh now, are they taking this seriously, or do they just wanna start routes willy nilly!

Breaking News :- bmi want to start LHR-LGW shuttle

They make me laugh now

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20 years 2 months

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bmi star any airline who has regional aircraft would love those routes because they are very profitable. Not because of high loads or yields far from it but the Irish goverment wants them routes to be operating so they pay the airline to cover the costs of operating the routes.

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20 years 1 month

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But what i'm saying is that bmi are looking to start any route possible

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20 years 10 months

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Shamrock,

At the risk of starting a UK/Ireland slagging match (which isn't my intention) your comment about a British airline operating Irish routes makes me wonder whether you think Ryanair should pull out of Stansted then?

1L.

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24 years 2 months

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bmi star any airline who has regional aircraft would love those routes because they are very profitable. Not because of high loads or yields far from it but the Irish goverment wants them routes to be operating so they pay the airline to cover the costs of operating the routes.

But Shamrock the government already gave investment for Aer Arann and BA to operate these routes and since they are doing well why or currently need extra invesment.

I mean i dont think they will fund €300 per pax AND a bmi service. They arn't THAT stupid.

Will be interested to see the Derry to Dublin prices, that would definetly be a service id like to try its only £65 return as it is!

I have a very strong feeling bmi once they start a dublin would try BHD to DUB as with their very very happy NI customer base that could win over alot of travellers!

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24 years 2 months

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Shamrock,

At the risk of starting a UK/Ireland slagging match (which isn't my intention) your comment about a British airline operating Irish routes makes me wonder whether you think Ryanair should pull out of Stansted then?

1L.

Very valid point OneLeft.

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18 years 11 months

Posts: 139

Maybe when BMI make their minds up about these they might look to north of the border and sort that out - one route from BHD - LHR and the rest from BFS courtesy of WW - utter confusion and must be costing a fortune for the group to be operating from both Belfast airports!

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20 years 2 months

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OneLeft I said I think it would be a shame to see an airline from any other country to operate the routes becasue of how small the market is. The British market is gigantic in comparison to the Irish market. If a law was to be passed tomorrow that said only one airline could operate domestic British services than I would rather a British airline get it than Ryanair. As well Ryanair only operate a few domestic flights from STN most of their flights are international. If bmi want to come in and operate international flights they are more than welcome. Ive nothing against the British and dont want to start a fight either.

AndrewM as Im sure you are aware Aer Arann have already tried DUB-BHD and it simply didnt work. The train only take an hour or 2 and even the road network between Dublin and Belfast in one of the best anywhere in the world. The new road is simply amazing and no airline is going to be able to compete succesfully with it.
Also the goverment did give money to BA and RE to operate these routes but that is part of the tender so if they win again then they will get the money.

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19 years 5 months

Posts: 1,887

In my view starting these routes would be a very wise move if they are profitable for the airline, which I assume they are. They are just going after money and a profit