BMI release tender for new fleet.

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See article....

BMI issues tender for 20 aircraft and 20 options
Victoria Moores, London (26Jan07, 16:33 GMT, 236 words)

Star Alliance carrier BMI has released a tender covering up to 20 aircraft and 20 options, although it is remaining silent on its exact capacity specification.

The company has three divisions, comprising all-Airbus mainline carrier BMI, Embraer unit BMI Regional and budget carrier BMIbaby, which has an all-Boeing fleet.

Speaking to ATI at the British Air Transport Association’s (BATA) annual dinner in London, BMI deputy chief executive Tim Bye said a tender for 20 aircraft plus 20 options has been released.

Bye declines to comment on which of the three fleets might be covered by the tender or give any information on the capacity or type which is being sought.

He says the results and recommendations from tender will be presented at a board meeting in March.

BMIbaby operates 13 Boeing 737-300s and six -500s with an average fleet age of 12.8 years, according to ATI sister product ACAS. BMI mainline has a fleet comprising three Airbus A330s, five A321s, 11 A320s and nine A319s. ACAS lists the oldest of these as being constructed in 1999.

BMI Regional operates 11 Embraer ERJ-145s and three ERJ-135s, which range in build year from 1998 to 2004. BMI Regional only recently announced its plan to acquire four additional ERJ-145s.

Although BMI Regional has brought in an ATR 42-300 to perform specific missions and its mainline division has a Boeing 767-300ER, these are not part of the airlines’ core fleets.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Original post

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Hope they replace those baby 737-300/500's! Maybe we'll see the -700's for bmibaby :rolleyes:

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The current Airbus fleets' of BMI and the Embraer Fleet of the Regional unit is fairly recent and I doubt it is likely to change.
I personally envisage this being a mix of aircraft to replace the BMI Baby fleets and perhaps the odd long-haul aircraft to supplement the A330s.

Therefore I reckon we'll be seeing tenders of 737NGs and 787s or A320 Family and A350s from Airbus,

Wozza

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Its 20 E190s for baby

Andy

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BMI A320's to BMI Baby to replace 737's and A318's and A319's into BMI fleet.

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BMI A320's to BMI Baby to replace 737's and A318's and A319's into BMI fleet.

Nope - see my above...

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Its 20 E190s for baby

Andy

Is this just speculation or otherwise?

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I really am bewildered by the bmi group.

On one side I know they need new aircraft to expand and to help WW grow but then on the other side I dont think they are making the most of what the already have.

My opinion is that if the aircraft are for bmi mainline then they should be A319as the already have a strong fleet of A319/A320 but it doesnt take a genius to come to that conclusion.

If the new aircraft are for bmibaby they should also be A319 simply to keep things like maintenance simple and if the really needed to crew could switch from one airline to another.

73G is an awful idea as they just dont fit into the current fleet.

The idea of replacing the WW 737s with E190s is stupid. It is an unproven type in LCC operations, I know BE are introducing them but they havnt proven themselves yet against the 737 or A319, again just my opinion.

Then again we all know that the bmi group arnt the best at making desicions.

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The idea of replacing the WW 737s with E190s is stupid. It is an unproven type in LCC operations, I know BE are introducing them but they havnt proven themselves yet against the 737 or A319, again just my opinion.
JetBlue is doing quite well with their E190s I believe.

Then again we all know that the bmi group arnt the best at making desicions.
Indeed.

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Good point Tentije I forgot about Jetblue but they have had alot of teething problems according to ro things I have read. I know those problems are inevitable but the BD group could get away with it by ordering A319s.

How much commanality is there between the E145 and A190s.

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If the new aircraft are for bmibaby they should also be A319 simply to keep things like maintenance simple and if the really needed to crew could switch from one airline to another.

They can't, all three airlines within the group have their own AOC so that won't be an option. You can't just hop from one AOC to another.

On one side I know they need new aircraft to expand and to help WW grow but then on the other side I dont think they are making the most of what the already have.

The group is making the best of the resources they have, hence the tender. It could be said that the current fleet profile is, to a certain extent, holding back the group.

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Its 20 E190s for baby

Andy

Well that would explain the visit to EMA a few months ago of an E-jet demonstrator.....so although we could have presumed mainline or regional, it wouldn't be a suprise for them to turn up at WW. Having said that, the tender has only just been issued, and, as a private company, they wouldn't need to tender if it was a done thing. Perhaps, the preference IS the E-Jet, but they're just checking that they can't get a better deal from A or B.

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73G is an awful idea as they just dont fit into the current fleet.

bmibaby have the 737s becuase many of them (if not all of them) were transferred from the bmi mainline fleet, and so it saved baby a lot of hassle and money in trying to source aircraft from outside the bmi group

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Well that would explain the visit to EMA a few months ago of an E-jet demonstrator.....so although we could have presumed mainline or regional, it wouldn't be a suprise for them to turn up at WW. Having said that, the tender has only just been issued, and, as a private company, they wouldn't need to tender if it was a done thing. Perhaps, the preference IS the E-Jet, but they're just checking that they can't get a better deal from A or B.

Of course you need to issue a tender - even if you know the type that fits best for your needs, you don't just stroll into an Embraer showroom and say "I'd like 20 of your e-jets, what's the sticker price?" :rolleyes:

Anyway, alwys possible that "the price won't be right" but e-Jets for WW is what's being chased right now

Andy

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I know the 737s were transferred from mainline to baby but it still wouldnt make sense to buy 73Gs would it?

Fair enough about crews not being able to transfer from one airline to another but from a maintenance perspecitve does it not make sense for them to have as few types as possible.

If maintenance on the current BD and WW fleets done at the same place?

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For the "Jungle Jet Company" this is quite big I think as it is a pretty medium-large sized European Airline and the third (afaik) low cost carrier to enroll in the E190 program.

I am confident A/B will be competitive in their tender which will drive Embraer down and hence giving bmibaby a better deal than just going to the Embraer Drive Thru and asking for 20 E190s with fries to go.

I think Embraer will see this as potential for bmi mainline growth plans within the Short/Medium haul Market as [E190] only has 16 less seats than a A319 so potential ideal for their A319 routes that are not full capacity?

I do wonder how long it will be before Embraer go towards Medium/Long Haul and if they will be such a sucess that they are considered within their current markets?

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Shamrock - re maintenance, the line work for the Airbus fleet is primarily conducted at LHR, the line work for the Boeing fleet is conducted at EMA and the line work for the Embraer fleet is conducted at ABZ. The majority of heavy maintenance, for all fleets, is contracted out to 3rd Parties.

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Zzzzz! FFS, its e-jets FOR BABY!!! :mad:

May never come off - the price may not be right, etc, but that's what it is.

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Zzzzz! FFS, its E-jets for baby

Perhaps people would question this less if you were to suggest how you know this, as far as I know at present, this could just be your speculative view. :o

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Possibly so, but sometimes it is simply not appropriate to release sources ;)

Andy

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Possibly so, but sometimes it is simply not appropriate to release sources ;)

Andy

So you'd say you've got it on good authority? :confused: