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International Airlines Group, the parent group of British Airways, claims to have secured around 330 jobs after announcing a buyer for bmi Regional, the Aberdeen-based subsidiary of the airline it recently acquired.

IAG said it has signed a binding agreement to sell bmi Regional to a Scottish consortium, Sector Aviation Holdings, for £8m. The sale includes all bmi Regional’s fixed assets and long-term liabilities, including owned and operating lease aircraft. Bmi Regional operates scheduled services from seven English and Scottish airports as well as a handful of northern European destinations.

source: Guardian.co.uk

Lufthansa AG is considering shutting down its loss-making British Midland Ltd. – known as BMI – if its sale to International Consolidated Airlines Group is held up by anti-trust authorities in Brussels.

The German airline agreed in December to sell BMI to IAG, the parent company of British Airways and Iberia, for a maximum GBP172.5 million. But the deal could be held up following Brussels’ rejection last week of concessions offered by IAG, which the competition regulator said were inadequate.

source: marketwatch.com

Passengers face higher fares and reduced services between Scottish airports and London Heathrow if British Airways succeeds in taking over rivals BMI, Virgin Atlantic has claimed.

The airline made the claim as it lodged a formal complaint on the proposed merger to the European Commission.

It said passengers would be left with a “‘choice of one'” on flights between Aberdeen and Edinburgh and Heathrow.

source: BBC.co.uk

The owner of British Airways agreed to buy rival airline BMI in a deal which rivals claim will mean higher prices for flyers.

The deal will give BA owners International Airlines Group (IAG) more than half of the take-off and landing slots at Heathrow.

Virgin Atlantic said the airline would be able to use their ”monopoly power” to force up fares if the £172.5million takeover is completed.

source: Dailymail.co.uk

The owner of British Midland International (BMI), Lufthansa, has said it has not yet decided on a buyer for the carrier.

In November the German airline signed an agreement with BA owner, International Airlines Group (IAG), to work towards a final deal.

However, the agreement was not exclusive and Lufthansa has now said it also has a deal with Virgin.

It means that both carriers still have a chance of buying BMI.

source: BBC.co.uk

Customers flying with bmi, British Midland International, will now enjoy a better inflight dining experience, as the airline has launched a new range of products onboard its flights.

A new bespoke and elegant crockery range, contemporary cutlery and a new set of glassware have been introduced in the Business Class cabin. Customers travelling in Economy will also benefit from new dining ware and cutlery designed to enhance the dining experience.

Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. joined chief competitor British Airways in saying it’s interested in a deal with BMI, the U.K. carrier that Deutsche Lufthansa AG has indicated may be sold.

“‘We continue to have a close interest in a combination with BMI,’” Virgin Atlantic said in a statement, adding that it currently works with the carrier at London’s Heathrow airport, where the two are among top slot holders after British Airways.

The airline posted a profit in the third quarter of 2010 but had a 120 million-euro ($163 million) operating loss in the first half of this year.

source: Bloomberg

German flag carrier Lufthansa plans to sell some or all of its loss-making unit British Midland (BMI), board member Stefan Lauer said today.

Lauer said that Lufthansa however intended to hold onto Austrian Airlines (AUA) despite it too being a drag on company profits.

BMI lost €120m in the first six months of the year.

source: rte.ie

Airline bmi British Midland is to merge its frequent flyer scheme, Diamond Club, with the Miles & More programme of new owner, Lufthansa.

It follows the integration of Miles & More with other Lufthansa subsidiaries including Brussels Airlines, Swiss and Austrian Airlines.

Lufthansa took control of bmi in 2009 after Sir Michael Bishop, the former chairman, exercised an option to sell his controlling stake at a pre-agreed price.

The German airline considered a sale of bmi but it did not attract a sufficiently high price from any interested buyers so began a restructuring scheme.

source: Telegraph.co.uk

BMI is offering perks to executive travellers switching to its flights from strike-hit British Airways. It is hoping to tempt lucrative business class travellers away from its  rival by offering to match any frequent flyer membership.

Travellers displaying BA silver or gold cards will be offered the BMI equivalents. These offer benefits such as free upgrades and access to exclusive  airport lounges.

source: BBC News