British airline bmi, which emerged on the Saudi aviation scene recently, is strengthening its base with a regular schedule of flights from and to the Kingdom.
“We are now gearing up for the upcoming summer rush of vacationers from Saudi Arabia,” a bmi spokesman in Riyadh said.
“We expect more families and students to vacation in summer from this part of the world, much more than we had last year or in the previous years,” he said.
It is in this context that the UK’s second largest airline chose to organize a familiarization trip for local agents in partnership with Marriott International recently. The group comprising top local agents traveled to London. bmi supervisor Jeealni Shaikhnag led the group, which traveled from Riyadh to London.
bmi special services manager Elaine Lawrence welcomed the group on arrival and took them to the VIP lounge. Later, during the tour, the group visited several Marriott properties in central London.
bmi’s familiarization trip group enjoyed an excellent journey in ‘the business’, during which every individual attention was given with outstanding personal care by in-flight and ground services, which certainly impressed the Riyadh agents.
Meet and assist services were provided by bmi staff, in particular Tariq Radwan, who extended his personal attention.
The group returned to Riyadh with pleasant feelings about bmi’s services, and thanked bmi’s Saudi management team in Riyadh.
The airline said yesterday that it would expand its long-haul flights to take advantage of liberalized transAtlantic flying, after boosting operating profit by 85 percent in 2006.
A report quoting Chief Executive Nigel Turner said that he declined to say which routes the airline was looking at launching from Heathrow when the ‘open skies’ pact between the European Union and the United States takes effect in March 2008.
But he said the Airbus A330 was bmi’s preferred aircraft for fleet expansion. “We’ve had a good run with the A330s, and we’re familiar with the aircraft and engines,” he said.
“We have got three already, and it is the default aircraft at this stage.”
Bmi increased underlying operating profit by 85.5 percent to 10.2 million pounds ($20.4 million) in 2006, while one-off items helped it triple pre-tax profit to 29.7 million pounds.
Bmi described ‘open skies as a “long held and hard fought aspiration” and said it would develop a wider medium and long haul route network.
Turner ruled out fears bmi would cut short haul flights to make slots available for transAtlantic flying.
“We have no plans to curtail any domestic flying or short haul flying,” he said, adding that he expected domestic flights to be hit hard anyway by increases in air passenger duty in the UK.
The airline’s overall revenues were 905.4 million pounds in 2006.
Meanwhile, bmi Regional has launched daily flights between Manchester and Lyon.
The airline’s new service creates a much-needed link between the Northwest of Britain and France’s second largest city, and is the only direct service available from any of the UK’s regional airports.
With a reputation as the gastronomic capital of France, Lyon is a major center of business and is renowned for its silk, textiles and fashion.
It also provides a gateway to the Alps and some of France’s oldest regions.
“We are delighted to be launching flights between the cities of Manchester and Lyon, both of which are important business and popular tourist destinations.
Our services are designed for the business and leisure traveler and we look forward to welcoming passengers on board,” a report quoting BMI Regional’s Commercial Director Peter Kenworthy said.
The new service also provides a fast service between Scotland and Lyon as it connects with the airline’s expanding network from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow to Manchester.
