bmi

bmi regional (BM, Aberdeen Dyce) intended to rebrand itself as simply bmi during the course of 2014 in an effort to return to its roots by embracing its "Britishness". In an interview with TravelMole, bmi regional marketing director, Colin Lewis, said the choice of 2014 was symbolic in that it would mark the 50th anniversary of British Midlands Airways’ move to East Midlands. A former subsidiary of British Midland International (BMI), which was purchased from Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt Int’l) by the International Airlines Group (IAG) in April 2012 and subsequently merged into British Airways (BA, London Heathrow), bmi regional was sold to Sector Aviation Holdings in May 2012 and has operated as an independent airline since October 2012 which in itself has warranted the makeover. "We’ve got the recognition but we need to modernise. The European view of Britain is incredibly positive. Union Jacks are on people’s clothes everywhere. British style and British charm is well regarded," he said. On the airline’s future plans and prospects, Mr Lewis said that in addition to implementing new procedures, management and systems, the airline would continue with its three-pronged approach to find new routes – markets where this is a demand from leisure and business passengers like Munich, markets for specialised business routes like the oil and gas industry and markets with a big commuter market like Bristol Int’l and Manchester Int’l to Aberdeen Dyce. Additionally, the airline is also looking to begin operating domestic services in other European countries – Norway being the first in late Jan2014 – while the possibility of collaborating more closely with larger European carriers through feeder traffic is also under consideration.