BMI to streamline fleet and stuff to cut costs

(copied from LBA2 Newsgroup)

I lifted this from this weeks Flight International:

BMI to streamline fleet and stuff to cut costs

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BMI British Midland is aiming to cut its operating costs by around 20% over the next three years by rationalising its fleet and shedding around one third of its staff.

The UK airline is negotiating with Airbus and “several other sources” to replace its six Fokker 100s with up to nine A319s as it reacts to the growing threat from no-frills carriers.

Nigel Turner, BMI chief financial officer, says the fleet renewal is part of a 3 year cost saving exercise called “Project Blue Sky” that aims to reduce costs by around £100m to bring it in line with “hybrid” no frills carriers, such as EasyJet, serving primary airports. Turner says he expects the “natural attrition” of around 1,500 airport staff over the next three years- around 30% of the carriers staff – as it moves towards fully automatic ticketing.

BMI’s six Fokker 100s are due to return to Debris Air Finance from April and talks are under way with the lessor and other sources, including Airbus, to acquire up to nine replacements as they leave the fleet. “These could comprise any of the four A320 variants,” says Turner, with the A319 seen as the frontrunner. The airline already flies 11 A320s and 10 A321s.

I wonder what they’re gonna do with the Embraers?

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Here was my response….

At the moment bmi have just cut down to 3 pools of flight crew, this was four with the retirement of the B737 fleet to bmibaby. The reduction of the F100 fleet will cut flight crew sizes to 2 main a/c types. bmi mainline with the A320srs and bmi region with the E145 srs.

This means all bmi mainline pilots will be able to fly any of the airbus family due cockpit commonality which in turn reduces bmi finances on 3 pilot pools, 3 sets of engineers, 3 setis of equiptment.

The fokker 70s have already gone as the A320s were delivered so it’s no real surprise. bmi have 1 remaining A319 on order, so more a/c seems about right. I wouldn’t b surprised if we saw an order for more E145srs a/c, or conversions of the options held. So hopefully finally n A320 flying the LBA-LHR run, if not an A319 will do in Jan!

Ste