I'd not planned to write a TR for today's travels, however something made me change my mind.......

28.05.08 BD052 A321-231 G-MEDN 25A
1ST Flight on this aircraft & 21st A321 Flight
SCH DEP 08:55 SCH ARR 10:15
ACT DEP 09:06 ACT ARR 10:18


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Photo © Allan Huse


After a painless Hotel Hopper trip from the Sheraton I found myself at Heathrow Terminal 1 around 07:30. For the first time I had pre-printed my boarding pass the night before, mainly as I'd not planned to write up a report on these dull domestics.



I noticed a few changes since my last visit, numerous self service check-in machines have appeared though are not yet operational.





Boarding pass or rather A4 sheet! - in hand I headed to the security checkpoint, through in moments, no queue this morning.

I still had quite a while in hand prior to my flight so had a coffee and sat watching planes, here are a few pictures:-




I prefer the original scheme, this alteration is not good.

At 08:30 a delay of 10-15 minutes was announced due to the delay on the arrival of our aircraft, at this point I had a feeling I might get lucky this morning.....

Boarding started at 8:42 from gate 8E or 8F, forget which mainly because I was going to get lucky......

Once down the jet way

and on to the plane it was clear, G-MEDN and its medium haul configuration was operating today's domestic flight to EDI & back. I know BMI do use the medium haul configured planes on domestics from time to time, but this was the first time on a G-MED_ plane so I was quite pleased.

Unlike the most recent BMI 319's, this aircraft has cloth seats, I had expected leather to be honest.

Business Class seat's looked nice, legroom looked ok, seems pretty suitable to the medium haul flights BMI will use this bird on.

Load today down back was close to 95% but 25B remained free once the doors were closed.

Despite being equipped with individual PTV's ,the safety demo was done by hand,

Push back occurred at 09:06 with a long taxi down to 09R

we took off at 09:21 and quickly disappeared into the gloom, not a good weather day.

There used to be a hanger there!

We quickly disappeared into the gloom, not a good weather day

The flight was uneventful as usual, though it was pretty bumpy from time to time, thankfully my coffee remained in it's cup!



Note the mood lighting, looks nice

On finals

Wheels touched down at a gloomy Edinburgh at 10:18, just 3 minutes behind schedule.

The plane pulled onto stand next to a BMI Commuter E135 -- a sub type still missing from my log

The return home was on G-DCBD on which I have had 3 flight's, making 60 A319 flights so far.

I slept most of the flight, it was late and I got home about 23:30 or so -- pretty tired really!

Trust you enjoyed, thanks for reading.

BTW, sorry about the camera time appearing, even worse, the time is wrong!

Hey, Mark,

good to read a report from your recent EDI travels.

You´ve told me, don´t expect one, but sometimes it´s much more interesting than usual.

For sure a special machine on that BD domestics.

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): The plane pulled onto stand next to a BMI Commuter E135 -- a sub type still missing from my log

Me too, let´s catch one!

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): 1ST Flight on this aircraft & 21st A321 Flight

I´am not to far behind.

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): The return home was on G-DCBD on which I have had 3 flight's, making 60 A319 flights so far.

OK, I´am far behind.

Thanx for posting and best regards,
Markus (FLIEGER67)

Greetings Markus, I see you are in Latvia, travelling again I guess, reports to follow shortly I hope 

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 1): You´ve told me, don´t expect one, but sometimes it´s much more interesting than usual.

- It's funny, just when you say you won't do a report as it will be a dull run of the mill one, something changes!

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 1): Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): The plane pulled onto stand next to a BMI Commuter E135 -- a sub type still missing from my log Me too, let´s catch one!

- You are right, I'll have a dig into what routes/flights they run them on.

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 1): Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): 1ST Flight on this aircraft & 21st A321 Flight I´am not to far behind.

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 1): OK, I´am far behind

- That's so funny, made me laugh, thanks 

Best Wishes

Mark

Thanks for the TR and photos. I didn't realise BD were putting PTVs in Y on the pending A32X deliveries. Did they show any content on the screens? Airshow maybe??

The mid-haul aircraft sure make flying BD domestics more interesting. Got a Mid-haul A320 on MAN-LHR the other week and I got to sit in the biz cabin which was nice.

PTVs in Y are from the original BMED order, where MEDN was destined. Now 4 of the aircraft MEDK/L/M/N nave PTV in Y.

Regards

Mike

Hi Mark. Thanks for posting. Glad you had your pleasant surprise! I wandered through Terminal 1. It's a mess really!

I agree with you on the Alitalia paint scheme...the original was better.

The view from the BMI A321 seat 25A looks the same as from a BA A321 seat 25A. Interesting curvature in the tray table!

The PTVs were a surprise for me. I haven't ever flown BMI, but that looks impressive. Better than the pop-down tv's above the rows of seats.

You remarked that you had expected leather seats. I noticed that he seats look strikingly similar to BA's World Traveller Plus. It's the same color of blue with the wavy lines in it Compare yours to this (which will appear in a trip report sometime soon ):

Hello all, thanks for reading and comments left,

Quoting ManchesterMAN (Reply 3): Thanks for the TR and photos

- Anytime  

Quoting ManchesterMAN (Reply 3): Did they show any content on the screens? Airshow maybe??

- No were left blank though they did say something on them when the FA's used the PA.

Quoting ManchesterMAN (Reply 3): The mid-haul aircraft sure make flying BD domestics more interesting

- Sure makes a change!

Quoting DFW13L (Reply 5): Hi Mark. Thanks for posting

- My pleasure.

Quoting DFW13L (Reply 5): I wandered through Terminal 1. It's a mess really!

- It is, but there are signs that things are improving, look forward to seeing the finished article.

Quoting DFW13L (Reply 5): Interesting curvature in the tray table!

- Yes, not sure I like it though, you loose quite a bit of usable space if wrighting or something similar.

Quoting DFW13L (Reply 5): I noticed that he seats look strikingly similar to BA's World Traveller Plus. It's the same color of blue with the wavy lines in it Compare yours to this (which will appear in a trip report sometime soon

- Similar indeed, though I think the BMI fabric design looks better.

Regards

Mark

Enjoyable report. Nice to see you got a ride on G-MEDN. I saw it at LHR the day after your report as I was passing through. I was supposed to fly LHR-MME with BD (A319) but left my paper ZED tkt in AUH (d'oh!). Ended up getting a coach to STN and flying to NCL with easyJet! (cheapest option). I did think of you as you seem to be synonymous with BD/BA/EZY domestics!

Hi Mark

nice report! Great to see you got on this very new A321. Always a pleasure...
I liked the pics also. btw, catching the ERJ-135 isn't too difficult I guess? Otherwise look into the schedules of AF, their subcompany Régional operates a lot of these little Embraers!

Cheers,
Eric   

Hi Mark,

Nice report of a for you regular trip. Nevertheless a nice surprise to catch one of the medium haulers  
Thanks for sharing!

Cheers
Joost ( D-ALCE )

Nice report, I flew DUB-LHR-DUB with BD on Wedesnday I got G-MIDX out and G-MEDG back home I found DG to be much more comfy due to it being in medium haul config, but Ive still yet to fly on a BD aircraft in the new colours, Ive 4 more BD flights booked this year so hopfully Ill manage at least that.

I am surprised with the seat fabric on MEDN, it is actually the same design as BA World Traveller, and the same as is on the rest of the ex-BMED fleet. I would have thought they could have chosen a different design other than the same as BA.

Regards

Mike

Quoting DFW13L (Reply 5): You remarked that you had expected leather seats. I noticed that he seats look strikingly similar to BA's World Traveller Plus. It's the same color of blue with the wavy lines in it Compare yours to this (which will appear in a trip report sometime soon

Quoting HUYfan (Reply 11): am surprised with the seat fabric on MEDN, it is actually the same design as BA World Traveller, and the same as is on the rest of the ex-BMED fleet. I would have thought they could have chosen a different design other than the same as BA.

If bmi don't have that seat model in their own fleet, then it's unlikely they'll have covers manufactured for it already. Since the aircraft were ordered for BA service it's no shock they were delivered with BA seat-covers... "The Business" seats are also covered in BA cloth, both schemes feature mid-blue it's reasonable that the aircraft ordered for BA were delivered with that scheme to avoid the cost of a last minute change (monies having been paid for the BA covers) Who's going to notice?

I'd expect bmi to roll out their own interiors progressively as seat covers are needed to be removed for cleaning/maintenance.

Decisions affecting the branding of an aircraft are made earlier than you may think, when I worked at air2000 the air2000.com scheme was introduced in April 2002, but G-OOAV was delivered the following month in an all-white scheme as the branding change was made too late to be incorporated into the paintshop, despite the fact the scheme was unveiled before the aircraft entered the paintshop. As a result the new-style name was applied over the base colours of the old scheme. On interiors there is an even greater lead-time in terms of the products to be used...

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Photo © Francisco Jose Jurado Ariza

It was another year before the full scheme was applied...

Regards
CROSSWIND

Hey Mark,
Great TR. I have been hoping that I would get on one of these Med haul A/C but no luck to date. Certainly would be worth cashing in a Gold upgrade cert to be in J class. Love the seats.

Lots of changes to LHR. T1 has never seemed so spacious!!!

Thanks again and conrats on getting the good A/C.

Philip

Hi Mark,

great report - you were really lucky to catch that special bird on an ordinary domestic flight.

Quoting BA319-131 (Thread starter): The plane pulled onto stand next to a BMI Commuter E135 -- a sub type still missing from my log

The Emb 135 is missing in my log as well. It is much rarer than its bigger brother Emb 145 of which I have 9 flights in my log.

Regards
Christoph

Quoting Contact Air (Reply 14): The Emb 135 is missing in my log as well. It is much rarer than its bigger brother Emb 145 of which I have 9 flights in my log. Regards Christoph

If you sit at the front of a 145 you can pretend you are in a 135, just don't look back  

Hi Mark!

Great TR! As of all of them though! The Emb 135 for MD is a fantastic aircraft though, recommend you try to fly on one!

-Wyatt

Nice TR

Like the pics.

Wow, the weather at LHR looks really bad.

Glad you got a new aircraft reg to your log.



Thank you for sharing

B747forever