Bacterial Infection More Condition_symptoms BMI Airline reviews UK domestic flights at Heathrow

BMI Airline

reviews UK domestic flights at Heathrow

British Midland International (BMI) is Reviewing the future of ITS domestic route network at Heathrow, BAA Blaming price Increases for "killing" UK air links.

BMI British Midland International aircraft at London's Heathrow Airport Photo: Alamy

By Alastair Jamieson

9:30 PM GMT 15 Jan 2011 Comments

The carrier, the airport & rsquo, s second largest operator, will cut STI Manchester flights daily from six to four and is considering closing loss-making STI Glasgow route. It

FOLLOWS a series of price rises at Heathrow That Have DentedProfitability of the Shorter flights.

Cuts Are Likely To Be WELCOMED by green Campaigners say Who Are Unnecessary domestic flights in the era of high speed rail.

However, route closures hand Would British Airways to monopoly and will dismay Politicians and Business in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

BMI, a fully-owned subsidiary of German carrier Lufthansa will use slots created by domestic cutbacks for more lucrative international routes instead. Its Spokesman said: "We never comment on Rumours." But a source said: "The domestic network has-been under review. Charges Are Higher killing domestic air travel at Heathrow. "BAA insists

Charges Are Not to Blame, And That domestic routesHave Been in doubt for third runway Ever Since WAS Ruled out by the Coalition, Limiting future growth.

BMI has made no firm decision on Glasgow, But The route has-been losing millions of pounds and dropping Each Year It Would cause maximum embarrassment for BAA Political, Which Owns and Operates Both airports. Glasgow

también significativa as It Was Britain's first deregulated domestic airline route, Launched by Former owner Sir Michael Bishop in 1981 in the first challenge to What Was Then a national state-controlled monopoly for BA. One of the flights still Threatened original Carrie the flight number, BD1.

From April, prices for the cheapest one-way ticket from BMI Heathrow to Glasgow will rise by £ 10STI up as BAA puts passenger fee to £ 23.60. It's November FOLLOWS 10pc Increase in Air Passenger Duty on short-haul flights from £ 11 to £ 12, and leaves just £ 10 to cover BMI's Costs £ 45.60 out of a ticket.

In Addition, Heathrow landing has INCREASED ITS Lowest Fees paid by airlines from 220 pounds to 1.000 pounds, making it uneconomic to Operate Highly Small Aircraft Such As BMI's Smallest plans, the 49-seat Embraer regional jets.

Austrian BMI's CEO, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, cuts Announced last year On Some domestic routes, down from eight a day to five as part of £ 100m in annual cost cuts. He Said BAA was "unfairly penalising domestic passengers at Heathrow "and added That I was" Outraged "by the increases.

A Spokesman for BAA denied the Increases Were to blame, Saying: "We Do Not comment on Decisions by commercial airlines at Heathrow slots But Are Scarce and it is no surprise That airlines will seek to make the MOST efficient use of them to be." An

industry source said: "BMI has-been losing millions of pounds Every year on the Heathrow to Glasgow route so alone Will Have High Charge made little difference. Ever Since PLANS for a third runway at Heathrow Were shelves, the outlook for links to Scotland and Northern Ireland has Not been good. Lack of Capacity at Heathrow is What is driving airlines Towards Longer distance flights. " Holds on BMI

and in ten slots at Heathrow, and together with Star Alliance partners Such as Swiss, United and Continental, have 33 per cent. Cutting back on

domestic services, feed Into Which Star Alliance long-haul flights at Heathrow, Would Have Been a unthinkable only decades ago, pero faster rail links and competition from no-frills rivals easyJet Such As Have eroded income. It is Understood

the airline Could drop one or two destinations But Retain Surviving Several daily flights on profitable routes to appeal to business Passengers. Its no frills

Subsidiary, bmibaby, Could step in to serve Stansted from Glasgow instead.

In the past four years has shifted focus BMI at Heathrow, ending services entre Heathrow and Leeds Bradford, DurhamTees Valley, Inverness and Jersey - Despit holding a monopoly on all four routes - and dropping flights to Paris and Brussels Following competition from Eurostar.

Over the Same Period, it has expanded Into more profitable niche Such medium haul destinations as Moscow, Cairo and Riyadh. It Begins flights to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, next month and Plans to announce more new routes this year.

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