Birmingham Airport optimistic of filling bmibaby gaps

MANAGEMENT at Birmingham Airport is holding talks with other operators to try and fill the likely service gaps left by the demise of low cost airline bmibaby.

Rival airlines Monarch and Flybe have already stepped in to plug some of the gaps and the airport is hoping it will be able to find replacements for the 13 services currently operated from Birmingham by bmibaby.

Monarch has already confirmed it is to add more flights to Malaga, Alicante, Rome, Palma, Faro and Barcelona; all destinations served by bmibaby.

“We are pleased that Monarch Airlines, recognising people want to fly from Birmingham to these destinations, will bring an additional two aircraft to join its base here at Birmingham Airport; this will give passengers hundreds of thousands more seats to choose from and significantly increases the number of flights available,” said the airport.  

In addition, Flybe will continue to operate frequent services to Belfast, new flights will be launched by easyJet to Belfast International this autumn and Amsterdam is already served five times a day by KLM.
 
bmibaby flights to Knock and Amsterdam will end next month with its remaining services out of Birmingham finishing in September.

The flights are ending as a review takes place into the future of the loss-making airline following the sale last month of its parent airline bmi to British Airways-owner International Airlines Group.

Consultations with trade unions representing bmibaby staff have already begun but around 500 jobs are thought to be on the line.