JACK02116 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2006, 145 posts, RR: 0 Posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 2766 times:
Maybe my imagination, but there seems to be a lot more BMI Embraer 135 / 145 jets around LHR T1 recently.
Which routes are these being used? I hear they have reduced capacity on MME and LBA routes, but not clear from their website if this is where these planes are being deployed.
Varig_dc10 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2001, 355 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2557 times:
I flew MME-LHR back in October.
Both the outbound and return flights were scheduled to be ERJ-145.
But due to a tech fault, the outbound flight which was due to leave at 7:55 on a Monday morning, got cancelled and BMI transferred us to the 12:00 flight. By the time 12:00 came, the tech fault was still unresolved, so they ended up diverting an A319 flight from LBA to collect us.
While some passengers from the 7:55 flight had made other arrangements, i.e. train or a flight from NCL with BA, the plane was barely full.
Just looked on Expedia and it seems that BMI are now using A319 and A320 aircraft.
I preferred it in the 80's when they used DC-9-15's Monday to Saturday and Viscounts on a Sunday.
You used to get decent grub in them days as well.
Nowadays you don't even get a complimentary drink.
Jamesontheroad From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 518 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 2474 times:
Quoting Varig_dc10 (Reply 5): Nowadays you don't even get a complimentary drink.
All bmi frequent fliers (blue, blue plus, silver and gold diamond club) get complimentary snacks and beverages on domestic and short-haul by showing their diamond club cards. If any BA customers have been tempted to jump ship in the light of the last few weeks debacle at LHR, don't forget that BD will happily status match BA frequent fliers.
Lapper From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2002, 1507 posts, RR: 8 Reply 8, posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 2339 times:
Quoting Jamesontheroad (Reply 7): All bmi frequent fliers (blue, blue plus, silver and gold diamond club) get complimentary snacks and beverages on domestic and short-haul by showing their diamond club cards.
Close, you need to be Blue Plus or above.
You tend to see a lot more ERJs at LHR at the weekend, mainly due to low loads and charter flights using the busses.
HanginOut From Austria, joined May 2005, 545 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1933 times:
Quoting Jamesontheroad (Reply 7): All bmi frequent fliers (blue, blue plus, silver and gold diamond club) get complimentary snacks and beverages on domestic and short-haul by showing their diamond club cards. If any BA customers have been tempted to jump ship in the light of the last few weeks debacle at LHR, don't forget that BD will happily status match BA frequent fliers.
Jamesontheroad From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 518 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1736 times:
Quoting HanginOut (Reply 10): Does this apply to Star Gold members as well?
Oddly enough, I don't think so. If you find yourself on BD a lot, just email DC with details of your current status and they should be able to status match and issue you with a gold DC card. Check the BMI Diamond Club forum on Flyertalk - not only are the users very well informed, there are a couple of DC employees who contribute and help users out with missing miles, account problems etc.
StarGoldLHR From Heard and McDonald Islands, joined Feb 2004, 1529 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 1681 times:
Quoting Jamesontheroad (Reply 11): Quoting HanginOut (Reply 10):
Does this apply to Star Gold members as well?
Oddly enough, I don't think so. If you find yourself on BD a lot, just email DC with details of your current status and they should be able to status match and issue you with a gold DC card. Check the BMI Diamond Club forum on Flyertalk - not only are the users very well informed, there are a couple of DC employees who contribute and help users out with missing miles, account problems etc.
Sadly enough this is just not true.
Here's my story..
This year is my 10th year of being Star Alliance Gold. All 10 years with United. As I moved from living in the US in 2002 to the UK, I have asked repeatedly Diamond Club about transfering my Star Gold status from United to British Midland.
I actually now fly c80-100k miles a year. Around 50-60K with Long Haul, and 30K within Europe.
However BD DC has refused several times. The reason is the same every time.. if I were not Star Alliance gold, but any other partnership (VS / BA) they would do it.
At first I thought why not, and so went up to BMI Silver as well as UA Gold, but then left BMI it for AF Silver and spreading the rest (whats the point in being Gold twice over in Star Alliance ?).
Since then I give up on BMI.
The result is, despite flying European routes at least every 2 weeks often weekly, I have no loyalty at all to BMI or infact anyone in Europe, whilst Long Haul (approx 1 a month) I sacredly remain UA or Star Alliance for my earning preference. Hence todate in 2008 I'm only a few flights from Silver with AF solely flying from London (Domestic or Holland) and my UA gold for the year is set to be complete in 2 weeks time when I goto Miami (and I still have Sinagapore, Bangkok, Australia and 2 US trips before September).
However for the rest of the year I will concentrate my EU earning miles on "bolstering" up the miles I have in all the other airline FF programs that I belong (AA,AF, DL, SV, BA, VS).. yes I am in the same "program" with multiple airline in the same alliance. Currently thats 6x EDI, 4x AMS, 2xMAN, 4x KRK before June 1st many of these at premium fares.
My girlfriend is also BD Star Gold, but given my circumstance, she is considering the switch to UA, as it's just easier and hence totally free's any need to fly BD at all. (She pretty much takes the L/H flights I do and stays at home when in the EU so her Gold status doesnt come from flying BMI at all)
Sad state of affairs, but reality bites... BD doesnt want any business from existing Star Gold customers.I have no grudge against BMI and actually would like to go Gold with them.. but they dont want me even though my EU flying alone would guarentee BD gold.
I do have the Blus Plus BD as well as my UA Star Gold status, but thats only for the free sandwich, once I get my 3K miles I pretty much give up all loyalty to flying BD for the year and fly with anyone else in the EU (ive around 10k with BMI in 2008), thats only because the free sandwich is not available to Star Alliance card holders after that I dont really care nor is their incentive to continue.. infact its a disincentive because my Long Haul flying guarentess my Gold status and so I may as well look for status with another alliance.
Bottom line..
BD's gold status is only worth it if you dont fly BMI.
BMI's FF program is only interested in poaching BA/VS FF's. They dont care for what they believe "we already have in the bag" FF's, especially those living in proximity to LHR as they believe they will chose BMI anyway... sadly in my case my C£40k travel budget (£25k long haul Star alliance, £15k EU anything that moves) doesnt go BMI's way as much as it could / I would like.
Funny thing is AF offered to match my UA gold in 2007, but I didnt take it up, as overall I'm a Star Alliance man with 800k miles in my Star Alliance accounts and only 250k in AF, and 700k sread between everyone else. But following their efforts in the UK market in 2008 I may now reconsider and approach them to see if the offer is still good.
[Edited 2008-04-13 05:07:18]
So far in 2008 45 flights and Gold already. JFK, IAD, LGA, SIN, HKG, NRT, AKL, PPT, LAX still to book ! Home Airport LCY
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