Bretts1983 From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2005, 26 posts, RR: 0 Posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 4694 times:
The link suggests bmi will start a second daily service to TLV from LHR at the start of the summer season, with an equipment change to an A330 from May.
Leej From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2001, 287 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 4557 times:
Wow! Have just booked with them LHR-TLV for 2 weeks at the end of this month - first time with BMI - looking forward to it! Can't seem to find any trip reports on the net for this route, any one here care to share any info about what to expect? Slumming it up the back end unfortunately, but for £274.00 return I don't mind!
Daleaholic From UK - England, joined Oct 2005, 3184 posts, RR: 15 Reply 2, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks ago) and read 4479 times:
Posted this in the MAN thread...
Quote: Anybody get the TTG? A bmi full page ad was printed in the 'business' supplement advertising additional Tel Aviv flights... Apparently not even bmi's press office knew about this ad going out. The advert wasn't supposed to have been printed until around March. Additional flight starting end of March/Start of April. Seems as though bmi have been forced into officially announcing it!
Doing work experience this week at a travel company in Manchester that specialises in pilgrimages and travel to Israel. They got told about this yesterday. Coincidentally, a bmi rep was in the office today and when asked about it, just said that she'd seen it... with no further comment
Religion is an illusion of childhood... Outgrown under proper education.
They won't pull the route since Thomson are ditching MAN-TLV in April, even though it's making them money. Jet2 are starting MAN-TLV in May but only once a week so bmi's main competitors are El Al, TK and BA.
Religion is an illusion of childhood... Outgrown under proper education.
Gilesdavies From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2883 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (4 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 3865 times:
Quoting Daleaholic (Reply 6): They won't pull the route since Thomson are ditching MAN-TLV in April, even though it's making them money. Jet2 are starting MAN-TLV in May but only once a week so bmi's main competitors are El Al, TK and BA.
Thomson also ditched the route from LTN too, and this route was extremely lucrative... Even though they advertised lead-in fares for £79, they were regularly selling seats at £200+ each way (I assume these we were still cheaper than some of the mainline carriers seats).
Despite the prices they managed to pull the customers and the route gradually increased frequencies from 2 to 3 and them 5 times weekly at times last year. It was usually operated by a 737-800, but they regularly upgraded this to a 757-200 to cope with demand. During the Christmas period and other major Jewish festivals a 767-200 was drafted in on occassions.
Im surprised someone else like easyJet has not picked up this route from LTN or even an Israeli carrier like Arkia.
I'm very happy to see that not only the upgrade to the route was finalised - but also that the decision was not between a second daily flight or an A330, but BD rather do both!
These are fantastic news for this very successful route. BD have also teamed up with UA to offer Israeli passengers to connect to UA at LHR and continue to the U.S, and vice versa. also, VS start putting their code on the TLV flights, making BD an important feeder for them at LHR (a role that until now was played by LY).
Quoting Daleaholic (Reply 6): bmi's main competitors are El Al, TK and BA.
CastropRauxel From Germany, joined Sep 2008, 466 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (4 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 3381 times:
Quoting Humberside (Reply 10):
IST is well located for UK-Israel connections
So is the rest of mainland Europe... even better, actually.
Quoting Daleaholic (Reply 11): For PAX going from alternative airports and don't want the early connection times at London airports, TK offer an alternative option.
Sorry, but I honestly still don't see what makes TK favourable for the UK-Israel connections. I will need an explanation on that one...
Anyway, TK is only the no. 7 airline by means of passenger traffic between LHR and TLV in 2008 - after BA/BD/LY of course, but also much after LH, LX, and AZ.
Quoting Humberside (Reply 10): Do Arkia, or Israir, have any UK services currently?
Not as far as I know. 6H got the right to operate scheduled services to London, but for now are taking their time - I'm guessing because of lack of equipment.
Amirs From Israel, joined Dec 2003, 1332 posts, RR: 4 Reply 13, posted (4 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 3163 times:
Quoting CastropRauxel (Reply 12): Not as far as I know. 6H got the right to operate scheduled services to London, but for now are taking their time - I'm guessing because of lack of equipment.
lack of equiptment
lack of slots
lack of pax
I dont see that airline doing much in the years to come.
Nice surprise that BOTH flights will be with A332!!!! I saw an ad in the paper, $1000 for Business Class. Those new business class seats on BD are like the new First Class seats on LY.
LXA340 From Switzerland, joined Nov 2006, 2104 posts, RR: 4 Reply 15, posted (4 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 2937 times:
Quoting Bretts1983 (Thread starter): The link suggests bmi will start a second daily service to TLV from LHR at the start of the summer season, with an equipment change to an A330 from May.
When they will start with double daily A332 fights to Israel with that superior inflight product and good arrival and deparutre times on both ways they can develop into a serious competitor. For the direct TLV-LHR-TLV route I would see them on first place for both, cabin comfort price and quality followed by BA and first then LY. Their First Class seats are maybe if at all on the level of the new BMI Business Class.
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