BMI Domestic Cuts - Bad for Virgin?

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/b ... c-services

Looks like BMI are going to cut Manchester - Heathrow to 4 daily, all on 50 seat Embraers, and Glasgow might be cut altogther.

Whilst we know BMI has been a basket-case for a while now, it will be interesting to see the impact of this on Virgin, because I understand that Virgin rely on BMI for most of its domestic UK connections.

This is the result of BD being part of the LH Group. They, quite rightly, see the future of the airline in helping out the wider LH Group and as much more of a mid haul carrier.

As a carrier they would much prefer to leave the UK domestic market to BE, which to be fair operates a fleet of aircraft that are much more suited to the type of work.

It will have a knock on effect to VS. The main issue being that people will now be more likely to use BA for domestic sectors connecting to VS. The problem with this is that firstly it will be easier to connect BA domestic to BA long haul and secondly you hardly want your customers to be "experiencing" a rival product (albeit their are drastic differences between BA domestic and VS long haul) but the point is that if someone flies BA domestic with a very friendly crew then boards a VS flight where service is not as good, next time they will just stick with BA!

[mitchja]

I'm not sure if this will have an impact or not, as how many pax actually book connecting flights with VS? I know I don't as it's usually much more expensive and I often require over-night stays at LHR anyway so it's just easier for me to book separately.

Capacity on the MAN>LHR BMi route has been declining for some time now, to the point where BA are now usually cheaper than BMI, hence the reason why I have switched to BA now for all my domestic flights.

As already mentioned, you cannot compare the service on domestic flights with long-haul flights but BA have the same issues as BMI do at LHR (for example arriving at international gates and so having to be bussed to T5 domestic arrivals).

One thing I have noticed is that on my last 4 BA domestic flights, they have all been completely full. The last couple of BMI flights on the same route where all less than half full.

BMI seem pretty doomed on this route..
Example I've just checked interconnects for LHR oneway circa £90
Priced the train direct from Leeds £33! Ok these are special advance fares, but to be honest just don't trust BMI now. More incentive to contemplate the BA switch at some point in 2011 for a more rounded service provision compared to VS's at current for non-London based pax

Ceteris paribus - i.e. fares and product standard - do I want to book connecting flights on a seperate PNR to fly VS ex LHR with all the potential risks that that incurs?

Nope.

So my preferred options are:
1. BA direct from MAN or connecting through T5 on one PNR.
2. Direct from MAN or other north west (even LBA or East Midands at a push depending on destination)
3. Drive to LHR to connect to VS

So yes - it will have an impact for me in terms of preference.

Regards
R3dV

the last few times i've travelled MAN-LHR to connect to a VS flight i've used BA over BMI, mainly because the connection times are better. The transfer from T5 is no worse than from T1, in fact it's less walking due to the T5 train transit to Heathrow Central (i never use flight connections). In terms of service levels, for a 40 minute flight i could care less & it has no impact on my choice of long haul carrier.

Since BMI pulled out of LBA a couple of years ago it means a 1:15 drive/limo to MAN instead of 20 mins to LBA, but i choose to still travel MAN-LHR to use Virgin instead of taking a direct flight from MAN with a US carrier. Seems if the options to get to LHR are reduced again, there may be less choosy PAX who decide to take the easy option. i won't be one of those though!