Quote: bmi chairman announces introduction of lie-flat beds to A330 fleet
release date: 19/09/2006
- visit marks first anniversary of burgeoning London Heathrow-Riyadh route
Sir Michael Bishop, chairman of bmi, today announced during a visit to Saudi Arabia that lie-flat beds are to be introduced to the business class cabin on all of the airline’s long haul routes.
From next June, bmi’s award-winning ‘the business’ cabin on its entire fleet of Airbus A330 aircraft will feature electronically-adjustable lie-flat beds, with a generous 80 inch seat pitch.
Sir Michael is visiting Riyadh and Jeddah to meet with His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman, Secretary General of the Supreme Commission for Tourism, as well as government, tourism and business representatives. He is also guest of honour at a dinner being hosted by the British Ambassador Sir Sherard Cowper Coles.
Sir Michael said: “The route between London Heathrow and Riyadh has achieved significant success and is moving into profitability. Thanks to this, and the tremendous ongoing support we have enjoyed, we were able to start the service to Jeddah earlier this year which is experiencing similar success.
“We are proud and delighted to be the only British carrier serving Saudi Arabia and are confident that our investment in the introduction of lie-flat beds will create further demand and growth on these routes.
“We will also be reintroducing the A330 onto our Riyadh and Jeddah routes from next Spring.”
The introduction of lie-flat beds represents an investment of £2 million for bmi.
ends
notes to editors
• September marks the first anniversary of the three times-weekly London Heathrow-Riyadh route. The Jeddah route, also three times-weekly, was introduced in May this year following the success of the Riyadh service.
• Saudi Arabia services offer two cabin classes – 42 lie-flat beds in the business and 156 economy seat from June 2007.
• All other long haul routes offer three cabins – the business (18 lie-flat beds from June 2007), premium economy (30 beds) and economy (172 beds)
• The ‘Perseus’ lie-flat beds are made by Aviointeriors of Italy (www.aviointeriors.it), and will be fitted in a 2-2-2 abreast configuration.
• bmi is the second largest airline at London Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest and best connected airports. Across its full mainline and regional network, bmi operates nearly 1,700 flights a week to: Aberdeen; Alicante; Amsterdam; Antigua; Barbados; Belfast City; Brussels; Chicago; Copenhagen; Dublin; Durham Tees Valley; Edinburgh; Esbjerg; Glasgow; Groningen; Hanover; Inverness; Jeddah; Las Vegas; Leeds Bradford; London Heathrow; Manchester; Moscow Domodedovo (from October 2006) Mumbai; Naples; Nice; Norwich; Nottingham East Midlands; Palma de Mallorca; Paris Charles de Gaulle; Riyadh; Toulouse and Venice.
• bmi is a member of Star Alliance, established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers worldwide reach and a smooth travel experience. Star Alliance was voted Best Airline Alliance by Business Traveller magazine in 2003 and 2006 and by Skytrax in 2003 and 2005. The members are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAP Portugal, THAI, United, US Airways and VARIG Brazilian Airlines. Regional member carriers Adria Airways (Slovenia), Blue1 (Finland) and Croatia Airlines enhance the global network. Overall, Star Alliance offers more than 16,000 daily flights to 841 destinations in 157 countries.
Cwldude From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 691 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (6 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 4333 times:
Well it's been a big day for the bmi group today, plenty announcements being made about expansion and improvements - maybe this is the start of something big for them
Thomson Airways - The UKs premier charter airline // now flown : BY -AA -AJ -AE -AT; OO -AX -AU -RA -BG; BRIG; OBYD
Pieinthesky From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 392 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (6 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 3927 times:
80" pitch is First territory never mind J !!.
Presuming the IFE will go AVOD as well - as they're getting the seat from the SpaceBed manufacturer maybe they should fit Wiseman 3000 as well - coupled with their excellent catering in the business, then this is an impressive step forward.
All other long haul routes offer three cabins -- the business (18 lie-flat beds from June 2007), premium economy (30 beds) and economy (172 beds)
Looks like premium is getting an over haul as well as it seems to be loosing 18 seats, going down from 48. What does 172 "beds" in economy mean? they already have 172 "seats" down there and they are a long way from being classed as "beds"! but it's good to see them spending some money on the fleet at long last.
I did here from somewhere that there were more A330's joining the fleet soon (all rumor), lets hope that is true and that MAN doesn't loose one. Would be good to see some more LHR routes soon as well....here's hoping!
HiJazzey From Saudi Arabia, joined Sep 2005, 788 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (6 years 8 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 3273 times:
Quoting BestWestern (Reply 9): Reducing C class from 30 to 18 is a strange move, especially when BD were saying how strong the C loads were to and from Saudi.
Saudi flights are configured differently:
Quoting Jamesontheroad (Thread starter): • Saudi Arabia services offer two cabin classes – 42 lie-flat beds in the business and 156 economy seat from June 2007
Lovinitflyboy From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2006, 116 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (6 years 8 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3121 times:
Quoting BestWestern (Reply 9): Reducing C class from 30 to 18 is a strange move, especially when BD were saying how strong the C loads were to and from Saudi.
The config at the moment is 24 C seats being reduced to 18 beds with the exception of Saudi, which will remain the same at 42 seats changing to beds.
BMI don't have any aircraft with 30 C seats.
AlanUK From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (6 years 8 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3099 times:
Quoting Jamesontheroad (Thread starter): Quote:
bmi chairman announces introduction of lie-flat beds to A330 fleet
Quoting Jamesontheroad (Thread starter): All other long haul routes offer three cabins – the business (18 lie-flat beds from June 2007), premium economy (30 beds) and economy (172 beds)
Wow, 172 beds in economy, that's a first. Typical bmi, can't even do press release properly, let alone run an successful airline!
Cornish From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2005, 8187 posts, RR: 56 Reply 11, posted (6 years 8 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3084 times:
Quoting Jamesontheroad (Thread starter): Sir Michael Bishop, chairman of bmi, today announced during a visit to Saudi Arabia that lie-flat beds are to be introduced to the business class cabin on all of the airline’s long haul routes.
And in a clear endorsement of his company's product, I understand he actually flew there on Saudi Arabian Airlines rather than bmi.
Just when I thought I could see light at the end of the tunnel, it was some B*****d with a torch bringing me more work
ManchesterMAN From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2003, 1192 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (6 years 8 months 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 2848 times:
One of 2 things is wrong with the press release and what has been read into it. Either the seat pitch is not going to be 80" (which is not necessary with the seat design on the manufacturer website), or the seats on the said website are not the ones bmi will be using.
I go for the latter. It is entirely possible that bmi will surprise us all and will indeed introduce a fully horizontal lieflat seat. Just because the manufacturer doesn't currently offer such as seat on an "off the shelf" basis doesn't mean that BD isn't working with them to custom design a seat for their needs. Here's hoping anyway.
Lovinitflyboy From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2006, 116 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (6 years 8 months 23 hours ago) and read 2573 times:
Quoting Cornish (Reply 11): And in a clear endorsement of his company's product, I understand he actually flew there on Saudi Arabian Airlines rather than bmi.
I know he flew Saudi from JED to RUH but why not BMI don't fly it. I also know that he returned home from RUH on BMI, I would also bet that the traveled out with them to but not 100% sure of the outbound arrangments
Cornish From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2005, 8187 posts, RR: 56 Reply 16, posted (6 years 8 months 23 hours ago) and read 2558 times:
Quoting Lovinitflyboy (Reply 15): I know he flew Saudi from JED to RUH but why not BMI don't fly it. I also know that he returned home from RUH on BMI, I would also bet that the traveled out with them to but not 100% sure of the outbound arrangments
He did indeed fly back on Bmi it turns out. But he definitely flew out there on Saudia. Perhaps even he couldn't face that ropey old 767
Just when I thought I could see light at the end of the tunnel, it was some B*****d with a torch bringing me more work
ManchesterMAN From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2003, 1192 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (6 years 8 months 22 hours ago) and read 2522 times:
Please don't flame me but it is just one of those things that gets on my nerves (it is my problem I know), but it is bmi (all lower case), not BMI or Bmi
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