OD-BWH From Lebanon, joined Jan 2002, 398 posts, RR: 3 Posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 2891 times:
Did bmi amalgamate its A320 fleet with BMed? Or are they still using the same equipment BMed had on the routes they acquired from BMed?
Last week I was in BEY, and I saw bmi A320 G-MIDY at one of the gates. It was painted in the hybrid c/s BMed equipment received after being taken over. I searched the database and found this aircraft is not part of BMed's fleet, but was rather one of BM original ones. Is there a chance I noted the wrong registration? It was parked next to my plane and I could easily read the markings.
GCT64 From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2007, 1104 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 2844 times:
BMI are definitely using "old BMI" aircraft on the BMed routes and "BMed" aircraft on old BMI routes.
Having said that, they are not doing it very often - probably due to configurations etc.
EireRock From Ireland, joined Nov 2007, 301 posts, RR: 5 Reply 7, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 2633 times:
G-MIDY was, up until a short while ago, painted in the original dark blue BMI colours. However i have since seen this aircraft in the newer blue, red and white BMI colour scheme. I also think that it has received the new First Class seats which i had previously only seen on G-MIDO and more recently G-MIDT.
Quoting Bmiexpat (Reply 6): Quoting Orion737 (Reply 4):
What a mess and how confusing this merger has been.
How exactly has it been a mess???
I agree with Bmiexpat, how exactly has this been a mess. As far as i can see BMI have gained some good new routes/slots and some more A320s/A321s which they already operate(even V2500 types which is even more of an advantage to them).
Orion737 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 2633 times:
Juggling of fleets, hybrid painted aircraft, uncertainty if BD will continue long term with all BMED destinations. BD do have a reputation for cancelling destinations you know.
A necessary evil considering there wasn't enough time to repaint them from the BA colours, not a bad scheme for a temporary measure.
Quoting Orion737 (Reply 8): uncertainty if BD will continue long term with all BMED destinations
Where exactly has this uncertainty been expressed? Not in any of the press articles I've seen, and there hasn't been much posting to that effect on here! Anyhow, surely it's up to bmi to decide what routes they want to keep depending on financial viability. They don't have to continue any if they don't want to.
It's funny how you have managed to twist what is actually a successful merger into a "confusing mess".
CF105Arrow From Canada, joined Oct 2007, 317 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 2582 times:
Quoting Bmiexpat (Reply 6): How exactly has it been a mess???
This might be minor, but I know a person that was flying from LHR to Bey on a direct non stop. Nothing was mentioned at the airport nor during the flight. When the flight landed, they were told that they just landed in Yerevan, Armenia and that the plane will later continue to Bey.
EireRock From Ireland, joined Nov 2007, 301 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 2576 times:
Quoting Orion737 (Reply 8): Juggling of fleets, hybrid painted aircraft, uncertainty if BD will continue long term with all BMED destinations. BD do have a reputation for cancelling destinations you know.
Well the juggling of fleets is something that comes with every merger and BMI have been lucky here, they already operate A320/321 with V2500 engines so really they are just adding to their existing fleet.
Regarding the hybrid painted aircraft, i actually think BMI have done a good job painting these aircraft for the short term, they are carrying the BMI name which is the most important thing. And im sure as they go through their scheduled maintenance checks they will be re-painted in proper BMI colours.
And as for the cancelling of routes, well i know they have started and stopped routes rather quickly in the past, maybe they are going to "test the water" with these BMed routes and if some are failing load wise then they may be dropped. But overall i think it was a good move for BMI and i hope they prosper from it.
HUYfan From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2001, 1372 posts, RR: 3 Reply 14, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 2495 times:
CF105Arrow, was the Heathrow to Beirut via Yerevan when it was a BA flight, or bmi?
It is clear to see as crew, how bmi have cut down the service onboard. Running out of wine on the first sector of a LHR-AMM-ADD-AMM-LHR is no fun, at the same time apologising to Addis customers who have been on the aircraft for 11 hours with no ife, and are given something that bmi describe as a 'continental breakfast' on the ADD-AMM sector which, in all honesty is false advertising. Bmi have gotten some things right, but they still have a lot to learn about the midhaul network they have inherited. Take my word for it, the takeover, as it is a TAKEOVER and not a MERGER, is not as rosy as it seems on many levels.
bmi should bite the bullet, install AVOD IFE on all of their aircraft dedicated to midhaul, and start to offer a product that is up to the standard of their main competitors, ie BA, KLM, Royal Jordanian, MEA and Lufthansa.
Orion737 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 2461 times:
I agree but then again what did one expect? BD have hardly been excelling in recent years with the quality of meals and service, rather they have been going down the opposite road, offering more of an LCC style service which wont go down well with BMEDs customers.
OD-BWH From Lebanon, joined Jan 2002, 398 posts, RR: 3 Reply 16, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 2361 times:
Quoting EireRock (Reply 13): And as for the cancelling of routes, well i know they have started and stopped routes rather quickly in the past, maybe they are going to "test the water" with these BMed routes and if some are failing load wise then they may be dropped. But overall i think it was a good move for BMI and i hope they prosper from it
Quoting Bmiexpat (Reply 10): surely it's up to bmi to decide what routes they want to keep depending on financial viability. They don't have to continue any if they don't want to.
I agree with Orion. It's not an easy thing to add 17 or so destinations all at once, in a market where bmi has no experience whatsoever. It's gonna be a rough time for them. Withdrawing from the market will be a disaster as well. The London route is one of the most lucrative routes in the Levant area, and cutting down this service will have severe effects on the market. MEA, RJ, and others in the region are unable to cope with the current demand due to slot restraints available at LHR, so what would happen if bmi drops down!! I beleive BA was smarter in that they franchised with BMed rather than taking it over. They gave it up easily once it proved uneconomical.
One more thing. bmi publicity doesn't in anyway compare to that of BA. Services provided on their web as well is terrible. Their website reflects the fact that they need a lot to become a peer to other EU carriers.
CF105Arrow From Canada, joined Oct 2007, 317 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 2298 times:
Quoting HUYfan (Reply 14): CF105Arrow, was the Heathrow to Beirut via Yerevan when it was a BA flight, or bmi?
If not mistaken, it was a BA flight operated by BMED after BMED was purchased by BMI. It wasn't via Yerevan as the arrival time mentioned was for a regular Beirut flight. Also, am no expert but Yerevan isn't exactly on the way, that would be quite a detour while there are many possible stops on the way that would commend more pax.
OD-BWH From Lebanon, joined Jan 2002, 398 posts, RR: 3 Reply 18, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 2274 times:
Quoting CF105Arrow (Reply 12): This might be minor, but I know a person that was flying from LHR to Bey on a direct non stop. Nothing was mentioned at the airport nor during the flight. When the flight landed, they were told that they just landed in Yerevan, Armenia and that the plane will later continue to Bey.
It happened to me but at a smaller scale. I once flew EK from DXB to BEY, and there was a stop in AUH that was not mentioned in the flight itenrary. I think airlines usually do not report such things to passengers as long as there are no changing of planes necessary.
HUYfan From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2001, 1372 posts, RR: 3 Reply 19, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 2231 times:
I THINK I operated that flight from Heathrow to Beirut via Yerevan.
There was an aircraft tech, and so we had to combine flights. It was still a BA service. The passengers were told when they boarded about the stop, and why it was being made. Yerevan is indeed not exactly a direct route from London to Beirut, but it was the easiest flight to combine. We looked after our customers as best we could on-board, but obviously we could understand their frustration.
UK_Dispatcher From United Arab Emirates, joined Dec 2001, 2550 posts, RR: 33 Reply 20, posted (5 years 4 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 2067 times:
Quoting Orion737 (Reply 4): What a mess and how confusing this merger has been.
I think this is a bit over the top, too. As soon as the BA flights become BD, they operate from the same terminal as BD. At the same time, all aircraft are wearing BD markings. Naturally it will take time to change the interiors but really how much of a problem is this for the pax? It seems that BD were already heading down the path of dark blue, leather seating for their A32X fleet and I'm guessing that the KJ aircraft are pretty much the same in this respect. The only thing I can see being particularly different is the Business cabins. I assume that some of the previous BD aircraft still have the convertible 3-3 to 2/3 seating. There is the Business cabin that was created for DME - the only medium haul route pre the acquisition of KJ. Now of course, there is the KJ business class cabin.
Apart from the difference in Business cabins - and I don't know to what extent the differently configured aircraft are used on different types of route - I don't think pax are going to really see much inconsistency.
EireRock From Ireland, joined Nov 2007, 301 posts, RR: 5 Reply 21, posted (5 years 4 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 2018 times:
Quoting UK_Dispatcher (Reply 20): There is the Business cabin that was created for DME - the only medium haul route pre the acquisition of KJ. Now of course, there is the KJ business class cabin.
Yes G-MIDO was used on the DME route and was the first to get this business class cabin, but now G-MIDT and G-MIDY have it, so BMI do seem to be focusing these a/c on the Bmed routes and seem to be improving the business class experience but this will take time and people have to realise that.
Quoting UK_Dispatcher (Reply 20): I don't think pax are going to really see much inconsistency.
Exactly, its not as if BMed was providing an "out of this world" service on these routes before BD took over.
VV701 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 6617 posts, RR: 17 Reply 23, posted (5 years 4 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1813 times:
Currently I believe BD are operating their aircraft in five different liveries. There is the new bmi scheme and the hybrid BD/BA scheme of the ex-BMED fleet:
AIR MALTA From Malta, joined Sep 2001, 2361 posts, RR: 1 Reply 24, posted (5 years 4 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1806 times:
Quoting EireRock (Reply 21): Exactly, its not as if BMed was providing an "out of this world" service on these routes before BD took over.
BMED had the old Club World Craddle seats plus on some aircraft PTV in World Traveller... Was that maintained?
Next flights : BRU-ZRH-CAI (LX)/ BRU-FCO-TLV (AZ)
25 Aisak: Are there any photos of this business class cabin? Liveries are nice, but i find "passenger experience" more interesting on these long flights...
26 Vasu: BMI's IFE is certainly confusing now... http://www.bmivoyager.com/movies
27 Babybus: It is true, BD do have an appauling record of maintaining routes. It will be a shame to see these BMED routes dissolved in probably the not too distan
28 HUYfan: The ex-BMED aircraft, (even G-MEDE) are far superior to the reconfigured MID- aircraft. NO ex-BMED aircraft have leather seats. As for customers recog
29 Ankaraflyjet: I flew with BD five times in the past three months between ESB and LHR. Comparing the BMED service I think not much of a change in Club in fact check
30 Ba6590: It really does seem a bit messy, my mother just flew DAM-LHR on an ex-BMED A320, on the return flight she said the aircraft had leather seats and no P
31 HUYfan: I don't think they do, no. I don't think anything will change anytime soon, which is a big shame. I like bmi as an employer but they really need to pu
32 Orion737: The economy catering is pretty awful in Y on BD short haul too, non existent! I hope they at least feel they should provide a decent hot meal and some
33 BestWestern: Problem with the BD BMI merger is that neither carrier was that BD was not profitable enough to acquire a loss making bmed. Now that it has acquired B
34 Orion737: they dint inherit DME from Bmed so I dont see that as any indication. they need to bring their BMED routes in to line with the DME product in the case
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