BMI : stop al lungo raggio e taglio del personale

Nuova stangatina su British Midland, compagnia da pochi mesi controllata da Lufthansa.

Il vettore, in chiara difficoltà economico-finanziaria ha annunciato nuove misure per fornteggiare le perdite e armonizzare le operazioni con la mainline Lufthansa.

Due le fondamentali novità odierne: da un lato torna a colpire la mannaia sulla forza lavoro con un taglio di ben 600 posti; sul fronte della flotta e del network, saranno ben 9 sia gli aeromobili sia le rotte tagliate: sospesi del tutto i collegamenti per Bruxelles, Tel Aviv, Kiev e Aleppo a partire da Gennaio 2010,  a Marzo sarà la volta di Amsterdam mentre per la stagione estiva non verranno riattivati i collegamenti per Venezia Tessera e per Palma di Maiorca.

La ridimensionata BMI potrà con tare su 30 aeromobili: di fatto non vengono rinnovati 9 dei contratti di leasing in scadenza nel primo semestre 2010. Esemplificativo il caso dei due A330-200, usati fino ad oggi per il lungo raggio che in qualche modo segna la rinuncia a questo segmento del mercato.

Buone notizie solo per Brussels Airlines, che sostituirà il vettore britannico sui voli da e per Bruxelles.

Di seguito il comunicato ufficiale:

25 November 2009

bmi restructures mainline and bmi regional operations

– focus on core network serving key destinations
– frequencies and capacities that match market expectations

bmi has today announced the restructuring of its mainline and regional operations. The move takes place against a background where the airline industry is facing the challenges of a downturn in demand and the worst recession in the UK since records began. In addition to cost saving initiatives the programme also includes a wide range of revenue enhancement initiatives.

The restructuring plan will see bmi focus on the following key areas:
• Suspending loss making routes
• Adjusting capacity to optimise efficiency and profitability
• Strengthening organisational productivity and efficiency in all areas
• Making use of the synergies of Lufthansa and other partner airlines in all areas
• Maximising revenue generating opportunities with codeshare and Star Alliance partners

The airline’s goal is to focus on maintaining within bmi mainline and bmi regional a core network of services in the UK and Ireland, Europe, the CIS, The Middle East and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Through a combination of improved aircraft productivity and efficiency, and from early 2010 the suspension of non-core and unprofitable services, bmi will reduce the number of aircraft in its mainline operation by nine from the current 39. This reduction will include two of five Embraer aircraft operating on mainline routes that will be returned to bmi regional.

Leases will not be extended on aircraft when they expire in the first half of 2010, including two of the three long haul A330 aircraft. bmi will therefore continue to serve mid haul markets with two long-range aircraft and its fleet of A321s.

bmi regional, which through its niche market position and a long term charter agreement with Airbus, is maintaining a viable operation but is feeling the impact of a prolonged downturn in business-type travel. The return of two Embraer aircraft from the mainline operation at Heathrow and one additional spare aircraft will result in these three units being surplus to requirements. The company is in discussion with potential customers with a view to mitigating this situation.

A reduction in the number of aircraft deployed in bmi mainline and bmi regional operations will result in job reductions coming from all areas of the business, operational and corporate functions. The number of full-time equivalent jobs at risk of redundancy is expected to be approximately 600. However further job cuts cannot be ruled out as corporate overheads will also be cut to reflect the reduced flying programme. Management has today commenced consultations with unions and staff representatives with a view to minimising the number of compulsory job losses wherever possible.

The Lufthansa Group took over bmi in July 2009 and shortly after undertook a due diligence exercise which highlighted the need for a restructuring of the business. Lufthansa has given bmi its full support for the actions it is undertaking in this restructuring programme.

Once stabilised, the business can then be grown again in the years ahead when the economic environment improves and market demand justifies it.