BMI Regional Scraps Five Routes

Oct 31, 2013 9:44pm

bmi BMI Regional is scrapping five routes from Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester airports following a review of operations

Flights from Manchester to Edinburgh and Antwerp, from Edinburgh to Copenhagen and Brussels, and from Birmingham to Billund, Denmark, will no longer operate.

The former subsidiary of British Midland International, which has operated as an independent airline since October 2012, will keep Aberdeen and Bristol as its main bases.

"Following a comprehensive review of our network, BMI Regional has announced the closure of five routes,” said a spokesman.

"We would like to reassure all customers booked to fly with us on the affected routes that services will operate up to the termination date - November 29 for [routes from] Manchester, December 31 for Birmingham to Billund and January 5 for Edinburgh to Copenhagen and Brussels.

"We will be in contact with passengers booked beyond these dates to offer alternative arrangements or a refund."

No job losses are expected as a result of the move.

Edinburgh Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said it was a “shame” to lose the BMI brand, “which we have been associated with for many years.”

"We are pleased, however, that of the three destinations served by BMI Regional, Manchester is also served by Flybe, Brussels is also served by Brussels Airlines and Copenhagen is also served by both easyJet and Norwegian,” he told the BBC .

BMI regional was bought by Sector Aviation Holdings last year for £8m following the sale of British Midland to International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, Iberia and Vueling.

The airline has a fleet of 18 Embraer ERJ aircraft. It operates flights from Britain to destinations including Oslo, Lyon, Kristiansund, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover, Milan, and Munich.

Last week it announced a new route from Newcastle to Brussels, and on Monday it began flights between Aberdeen and Oslo.