Category Archives: bmibaby (bmibaby.com)

Bmibaby announces its last flights on September 9

Bmibaby (bmibaby.com) (East Midlands) is going out of business. The last flights will be operated on September 9. To avoid a drop off of passengers at the end, the carrier is advising its customers to fly out on the airline and has given them guidance on who to fly home after September 9.

Here is the full list of the last flights: CLICK HERE

“Tiny” will soon be enjoying retirement. For now he is encouraging customers to continue flying on the airline.

Copyright Photo: Pedro Baptista/Flyingphotos. Boeing 737-36N G-TOYL (msn 28594) prepares to land at Lisbon.

Bmibaby Slide Show: 

Frameable Color Prints and Posters: 

bmibaby reassures its passengers it is “flying all summer”

bmibaby (bimbaby.com) (East Midlands) is reassuring its passengers “it is flying all summer” and to “book with confidence” in its ads.

 

As previously reported, the airline is living on borrowed time. New owner IAG has announced the low-fare subsidiary will be shut down on September 10 if a new buyer cannot be found. Meanwhile IAG is cutting key bmibaby routes for the carrier. The first to go will be the Belfast base on June 11 along with route closures from East Midlands. Birmingham and East Midlands will be totally shut down on September 10.

Meanwhile this summer bmibaby will fly to 29 destinations from East Midlands and Birmingham this summer. Will it be here after September 10?

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton.

bmibaby Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Bmibaby to shut down the Belfast base on June 11, the airline to be totally shut down in September if a buyer can’t be found

Bmibaby (East Midlands) is living on borrowed time. New owner IAG has announced the low-fare subsidiary will be shut down on September 10 if a new buyer cannot be found. Meanwhile IAG is cutting key bmibaby routes for the carrier. The first to go will be the Belfast base on June 11 along with route closures from East Midlands. Birmingham and East Midlands will be totally shut down on September 10.

Read the full story from The Independent: CLICK HERE

In other related news, Flybe (Exeter) is planning to takeover some of the closing bmibay routes and is also in negotiations to possibly take over the aircraft and routes of bmi regional (Aberdeen). If completed, the Scottish division would operate under the growing Flybe brand.

Read the full story from the BBC: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Nik French.

Bmibaby Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Bmi Regional Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Bottom Copyright Photo: Keith Burton.

Lufthansa completes the sale of bmi, IAG to dispose of bmibaby and bmi regional

Lufthansa (Frankfurt) has sold British Midland Limited (bmi) to the International Airlines Group (IAG). The sale was completed at the close of business on April 19. The gross purchase price was approximately $277.6 million.

According to Lufthansa, “as price adjustments have been agreed as part of the transaction structure, the net purchase price will be determined at the end of the second quarter 2012, at which point the final amount will be transferred. It continues to be expected that the net purchase price will be negative. However the costs of the transaction for Lufthansa will amortize within one year. The gross purchase price is expected to be reduced by a number of items including agreed deductions for not selling bmi regional and bmibaby prior to the completion of the transaction.

Bmi’s underfunded Pension Scheme is to be transferred to the UK Pension Protection Fund. The pension shortfall for the members of the bmi Pension Scheme will be offset to a large extent by a one-off contribution from Lufthansa of GBP 84 million to a supplementary pension scheme.”

On November 4, 2011, Lufthansa and IAG agreed in principle to the sale of bmi to IAG, prior to a legally binding purchase agreement being signed by both parties on December 22, 2011. The validity of this contract was subject to regulatory approval by the European Commission, which was received on March 30, 2012.

IAG has vowed to operate bmibaby and bmi regional as subsidiaries only for the short term (Lufthansa was unable to sell either carrier prior to the sale date). IAG will now try to dispose of both bmibaby and bmi regional.

Meanwhile Virgin Atlantic Airways has vowed to continue to fight this transaction and hopes to acquire new slots at London Heathrow.

Lufthansa is now entering an austerity period where it will attempt to cut all operations that are not making a profit.

Top Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. The bmi brand is expected to be retired very quickly by British Airways ending a long history for British Midland Airways, now operating as bmi.

bmi/British Midland Slide Show: CLICK HERE

bmibaby Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Bottom Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. What will happen to bmibaby, the airline that no one wants?

Lufthansa is having a hard time selling bmibaby

Lufthansa (Frankfurt) is having a difficult time selling off its bmibaby (bmibaby.com) (East Midlands) according to this report by Bloomberg. Two previous bidders are no longer in active negotiations to buy the low-fare subsidiary of bmi (East Midlands).

Lufthansa is under pressure to sell off bmibaby. The IAG had agreed to purchase parent bmi for $274 million from Lufthansa but negotiated a “significant” discount if Lufthansa failed to sell off bmibaby prior to the sale.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton.

bmibaby Slide Show: CLICK HERE

The BMI takeover is approved by the European Commission with conditions

British Airways (London) and the IAG have won their fight against Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) for the acquisition of BMI (East Midlands) and the valuable slots at London’s Heathrow Airport. The takeover of BMI from Lufthansa (Frankfurt) has been approved by the European Commission with conditions – British Airways will have to give up 14 slot pairs at London (Heathrow). However this is somewhat mute of an issue since BA will gain an additional 42 slot pairs with the BMI acquisition. Bottom line: Virgin Atlantic loses this battle with BA and the BMI brand will quickly be replaced with the BA livery. BA/IAG is expected to close on the deal around April 20. Goodbye BMI. LHR will certainly become a BA fortress hub.

Subsidiary bmibaby will not be part of this deal.

Read the full story from The Guardian: CLICK HERE

The BBC asks the question of whether BA/IAG gave up enough for BMI: CLICK HERE

BMI Slide Show: CLICK HERE

British Airways Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Virgin Atlantic Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Lufthansa is getting ready to sell bmibaby to an unnamed UK-based company

Lufthansa (Frankfurt) is on the verge of announcing a sale of subsidiary Bmibaby (bmibaby.com) (East Midlands) to an unnamed UK-based company. The sale should be concluded this quarter. The new owners are expected to retain the current brand for the short-term but a new name is probably coming. The sale will include the Boeing 737 fleet.

Read the full story from Bloomberg Businessweek: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems. Please click on the photo for additional details on this special aircraft.

Bmibaby Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Below: The now iconic “Tiny” logo may be retired to Malaga if the new owners opt for a new look.

Lufthansa is in talks to sell bmibaby to Intro

Lufthansa (Frankfurt) has opened talks with German turnaround specialist Intro Aviation GmbH according to this article by Bloomberg. Intro is taking a close look at the discount carrier to see if it can be turned around.

Read the full article: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton.

bmibaby Slide Show: CLICK HERE

IAG acquires BMI from Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic falls short

International Airlines Group (London), the parent of British Airways (London) and Iberia (Madrid), has won the battle with Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) to acquire BMI (East Midlands) and the valuable London Heathrow slots from Lufthansa.

IAG issued the following statement:

“Following the announcement on November 4, 2011, International Airlines Group (IAG) and Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Lufthansa) have today (December 22) reached a binding agreement for IAG to acquire British Midland Limited (bmi). The cost is £172.5 million in cash though the price is subject to significant reductions.

Bmi consists of three distinct business units – bmi mainline, bmi regional and bmibaby.

Transaction highlights:

· Acquisition of bmi for £172.5million in cash
· IAG’s Heathrow slot portfolio to increase by up to 56 additional daily slot pairs
· Lufthansa to take on bmi’s defined benefit pension scheme
· Lufthansa has the option to sell bmi regional and bmibaby before completion
· Significant price reduction if Lufthansa does not opt to sell bmibaby before completion
· Deal subject to competition clearance
· Earnings per share (EPS) accretive by 2014 at the latest
· 2015 operating profit target of €1.5 billion to increase by more than €100 million with consequent increase in EPS
· Underpins goal of 12 per cent return on capital employed by 2015
· Restructuring costs spread over three years and significantly lower in total than bmi’s current annual losses”

It is still unclear what will happen to the bmi name and brand but it is likely at some point to be absorbed into British Airways. BA, already the dominant carrier at LHR, will become even larger if this deal is approved.

What will be the competitive response by Virgin Atlantic and others?

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton.

bmi Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Bmibaby to launch two new routes to Sicily and Menorca

Bmibaby (bmibaby.com) (East Midlands) has announced it will offer new flights from East Midlands Airport to Catania, Sicily and from Belfast City Airport to Mahon, Menorca in the summer.

The new route from Belfast City Airport to Mahon in Menorca will commence on June 15, 2012 and will operate up twice a week on Mondays and Fridays until September 24, 2012. Flights to Catania in Sicily will operate once a week on Sundays from May 27 until September 30, 2012.

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton.

Bmibaby Slide Show: CLICK HERE