BMi sold to BA (or IAG)

[StevieBee]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16298167

I really like BMI. Fly with them at least once a month and never had any issue whatsoever.

Difficult to see where they have shed so much money. I can't recall a single flight I've been on that hasn't been full or near full.

[toasty]

I hope BA will move the BMI frequent flyer program over to theirs maintaining the same levels.

[StevieBee]

toasty said:

I hope BA will move the BMI frequent flyer program over to theirs maintaining the same levels.

Me too. I'm two flights away from "Gold"!!!

[Puggit]

Hoping that it gets blocked under competition rules and Virgin get them!

[Elroy Blue]

They don't want the airline, they want the landing slots. (According to those in the know)

[AndyACB]

StevieBee said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16298167

I really like BMI. Fly with them at least once a month and never had any issue whatsoever.

Difficult to see where they have shed so much money. I can't recall a single flight I've been on that hasn't been full or near full.

They are losing something like £35 per person on every flight, they may be full but at the wrong price.

[AndyACB]

Puggit said:

Hoping that it gets blocked under competition rules and Virgin get them!

Any reason why? Wouldn't be good for the uk based staff.

[blueg33]

Bad news IMO. I found BMI to be a real alternative with better service etc. I also have a friend who is one of their pilots, hope his job is ok.

[Puggit]

Elroy Blue said:

They don't want the airline, they want the landing slots. (According to those in the know)

bmi is currently very similar to what was British Mediteranean Airlines - lots of strange routes to the middle east! Bmed used to run these routes on behalf of BA, but BA ended the relationship and bmi bought Bmed - so I can't see BA being interested in the routes!

[tvrolet]

toasty said:

I hope BA will move the BMI frequent flyer program over to theirs maintaining the same levels.

I'd prefer if they'd keep it a separate identity and stay Star Alliance. I've always flown BMI in preference to BA where possible, and Star Allicance over OneWorld since there's a Continental flight out of Edinburgh (my local airport) to Newark.

I've been SA gold for ages mostly with miles racked up on domestics, but 3 or 4 US trips every year on Continental. If they change to BA/BA-miles then a) the domestic miles aren't so generous, and b) if I want the big luggage allowance on gold [mainly just the family's skis in the winter] I'd have to go through Heathrow

Not sure what will happen on BMI Regional either as currently I use BMI for EDI-LHR, EDI-MAN and EDI-LBA - all of which currently rack-up SA points/miles. If mainline change to BA will regional stay SA?

I'd kind of hoped Virgin would pick them up and then join up as a SA partner.

Selfish perhaps just hoping to maximise convenience and free flights when there's folks who will be losing jobs soon I guess, but I guess whoever bought them would be making the same cuts irrespective. I never dod understand the loss-making part on domestics at least (apart from LBA!], the flights are pretty much always full.

[cjs]

This deal is bad news, it will mean less choice and will give BA a stranglehold on Heathrow slots, will end up pushing up prices no doubt. Would prefer that Virgin got it just to keep a bit more competition in the industry.

[Spitfire2]

cjs said:

This deal is bad news, it will mean less choice and will give BA a stranglehold on Heathrow slots, will end up pushing up prices no doubt. Would prefer that Virgin got it just to keep a bit more competition in the industry.

Yep agree with this. Heathrow flights from Scotland and North England are going to suddenly be very expensive I fear