Lufthansa is starting a Dresden-Heathrow link and surprise, surprise, it is going to be using BMI aircraft. Another poof BMI being dismantled (we might end up with only VS as a UK carrier!!!)

Well, it makes more sense for BMI (aka LH UK) to operate LHR-Dresden than LH, as LH doesn't have a base there

BMI is becoming more and more like a LHR base of Lufthansa.

It actually makes good sense as it allows LH to optimise its operations
-less LH crew staying overnight in London ($$$)
-no need to position aircraft in Germany ($$$)
-and last but not least, BD operating costs are probably MUCH lower than LH! ($$$$$)

I think a rebranding of BMI to Lufthansa UK becomes more and more appropriate.

BA tried DRS from LGW, will a BD/LH LHR flight be more successful?

[Edited 2010-03-18 04:25:28]

Quoting AIR MALTA (Thread starter): Another poof BMI being dismantled

Though it appears that LHR-TXL will be a 'normal' bmi route with the 3 current daily services operated under wet lease to LH becoming standard bmi flights alongside the new 4th daily frequency that was always going to be a normal bmi flight

So seems like swings and roundabouts to me

Anyone at LH in Germany know why the wet lease to Berlin was canceled?
Will Milan go as well (all LHI operated) ?

...well in addition to DRS-LHR, BMI will operate 3 daily freq on the CGN-LHR routes, and 1 daily HAM-LHR.

I have checked the schedules, and the wet lease on 4 daily freq on LHR-TXL have NOT been cancelled.

....   

Quoting chootie (Reply 6): and the wet lease on 4 daily freq on LHR-TXL have NOT been cancelled

Internal memos have said that LH have cancelled the 3x Daily wetlease to TXL and
this will now be operated 4x daily at BMI risk and the wetlease cancellation also
affected MXP.
CGN and HAM (DRS too?) will be a new wetlease agreement, though friend's roster
is showing CGN with irregular flight numbers (not those found in booking engines of either
airline)

Looking at BD fares DUB-LHR-TXL and they are very competitive! Any other German/Europeam routes we could see BD operate?

Quoting TFFIP (Reply 7): this will now be operated 4x daily at BMI risk and the wetlease cancellation also affected MXP.

Do we know what happens with MXP? Are bmi going to operate the current 3 daily flights that are a wet lease in their own right. Or is it going to be all LH Italia?

@ TFFIP

Sorry, my bad........(I hate when that happens)  

However, as I just can´t let things be, I researched and got this tidbit of info:

LHR-HAM/DRS/CGN/MXP are all wet leased.
LHR-TXL/HAJ(bd-regional) are code share.

All aircraft and crew are operated by BD.

The fine tuning as far as who has the risk etc..... goes WAY beyond my comprehension and knowledge.

Anyway, it seems as if the LH-group are making the best of what they have.

So I hope to see all of you on a BD/LH flight soon         

Quoting AIR MALTA (Thread starter): Another poof BMI being dismantled

Where's the proof though at which you arrive at such an assumption, other than it being mere opinion.?

Quoting AF-A319 (Reply 2): BMI is becoming more and more like a LHR base of Lufthansa.

And which makes perfect sense considering LH own them. Nothing at all wrong with it.

Sorry I am not familiar with the LH/BMI goings on, aside from the ownership tussles of course, as we normally fly oneworld carriers.

But my partner flew LHR to Berlin (can't remember which airport - sorry) last week on an LH-booked ticket. He was suprised to see the aircraft painted in BMI livery, but with a completely LH interior. He did not get the aircraft registration, so I don't know if it was German or British registered. The crew were English.

He of course had an LH flight number (but I assume that was a codeshare?)

In other words, he was shocked at how integrated BMI was with LH. Would this have been a wetlease aircraft? (But the crew were English?)

Quoting vhtje (Reply 12): Would this have been a wetlease aircraft

Yes, G-DBCB would have a mix of Italian and (foreign, but) German speaking crew.
G-DBCA (MXP) and G-DBCB were interior refitted to LH specifications.

What equipment will BMI use on this route??

Airbus A319/320 or ERJ?

Quoting AIR MALTA (Thread starter): Another poof BMI being dismantled (we might end up with only VS as a UK carrier!!!)

I would claim another poof Lufthansa is eager to have BMI survive and give them work to be done.

[Edited 2010-03-19 04:34:36]

Quoting Burkhard (Reply 15): I would claim another poof Lufthansa is eager to have BMI survive and give them work to be done.

That is what I see, too.

I really hope LH is able to integrate all those new airlines profitably.

Quoting vhtje (Reply 12): But my partner flew LHR to Berlin (can't remember which airport - sorry) last week on an LH-booked ticket. He was suprised to see the aircraft painted in BMI livery, but with a completely LH interior. He did not get the aircraft registration, so I don't know if it was German or British registered. The crew were English.

It must surely have been the BMI service being operated for LH. The arrival airport must have been TXL as that is where all flights ex-LHR will land.

Does anyone know what service to expect on these BD operated routes?

As the BD service is not as complete as LH's.

Quoting SKAirbus (Reply 14):

As far as I know the route will be A319 operated

Where are the slots coming to operate this route? Is another route being cancelled?

Quoting BestWestern (Reply 20): Where are the slots coming to operate this route? Is another route being cancelled?

AMS was 4 x daily so I presume some from that as they are only doing 2 daily from memory on the VIE route.

Quoting AIR MALTA (Thread starter): Another poof BMI being dismantled (we might end up with only VS as a UK carrier!!!)

If LH was using bmi aircraft to fly between points not involving LHR or the UK (say from Germany to Russia), then what you say may hold water. But LHR-Dresden is just another addition to bmi's LHR service, so why is that a bad sign? Why would adding more bmi service to LHR suggest bmi is being dismantled?