The year of pain continues in aviation, with FlyBMI (what was BMI Regional) filing for administration this afternoon.
BMI Regional Embraer E-145 at Frankfurt Airport – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
All services are suspended as of now (16th February).
The filing affects a fleet of 17 regional jet aircraft, serving 25 European cities.
In terms of refunds
- Customers who booked directly with flybmi should contact their payment card issuer to obtain a refund for flights which have not yet taken place.
- Customers who have booked flybmi flights via a travel agent or one of flybmi’s codeshare partner airlines are recommended to contact their agent or airline for details of options available to them.
- Customers who have travel insurance should contact their travel insurance provider to find out if they are eligible to claim for cancelled flights and the procedure for doing so.
- In other cases – you are on your own
A full FAQ is at https://www.flybmi.com/. If you’re due to travel with them – I’d strongly advise reading the release.
In quotes
A full and damning released has been made available. The release is presented below:
It is with a heavy heart that we have made this unavoidable announcement today. The airline has faced several difficulties, including recent spikes in fuel and carbon costs, the latter arising from the EU’s recent decision to exclude UK airlines from full participation in the Emissions Trading Scheme. These issues have undermined efforts to move the airline into profit. Current trading and future prospects have also been seriously affected by the uncertainty created by the Brexit process, which has led to our inability to secure valuable flying contracts in Europe and lack of confidence around bmi’s ability to continue flying between destinations in Europe. Additionally, our situation mirrors wider difficulties in the regional airline industry which have been well documented.
“Against this background, it has become impossible for the airline’s shareholders to continue their extensive programme of funding into the business, despite investment totalling over £40m in the last six years. We sincerely regret that this course of action has become the only option open to us, but the challenges, particularly those created by Brexit, have proven to be insurmountable.
“Our employees have worked extremely hard over the last few years and we would like to thank them for their dedication to the company, as well as all our loyal customers who have flown with us over the last 6 years.”
BMI Regional had 376 staff employed with the airline- all of which will be looking for new jobs because of this move.
A sad day for all of them.
Calling out Brexit
It’s telling in the press release that the uncertainties of Brexit (the process where the United Kingdom will leave the European Union) has hit yet another airline (with Flybe going through the same pain).
Sadly, before this Brexit shenanigans is over, I have a feeling there will be a lot more casualties in the world of aviation and business.
Unfortunately for British Midland Regional (once the most profitable part of BMI), there was no knight in shining armour to rescue it
The end of BMI Regional and the BMI legacy
This brings an end to a history that started in 1938 as Air Schools Limited, that started to end when BMI mainline was integrated into British Airways in October 2012- with British Midland Regional operating independently in October 2012.
A sad end for a once proud and different airline.
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