Virgin Holidays offering bmi LAS flight

[Squeaky]

In the latest edition of Virgin Holidays USA brochure they are subtley promoting the MAN-LAS bmi flight for passengers up north instead of the usual connection into LGW for the VS flight.

Is there a merger/marketing agreement on the cards or am I reading too much into this?

Squeaky

[srbmod]

Probably doing this as it is easier and cheaper than committing a VS a/c on the route.

As for an eventual Virgin Atlantic/bmi British Midland merger, I think it will happen in the next 12-24 months. I also think it will depend on if Bermuda II gets reworked. If BA and VS remain the only two UK carriers allowed to do UK-US flights out of LHR, BM will merge with Virgin in order to be able to offer flights to the US out of LHR. Their inability to fly to US destinations out of LHR has hurt them, as having to offer connecting service out of MAN has put them at a competitive disadvantage against VS and BA even though BM has a sizable European network out of LHR (Something VS doesn't have). A merger between these two airlines would be complimentary as VS doesn't have flights into Europe and BM has a small Transatlantic route network.

[AA 1818]

Is BMI doing (or expected to do well) with the Rhiyad (sp?) and Mumbai routes? If they merge with Virgin wouldn't they have to give up the Saudi routes (the virgin logo annoyed Saudi officials...) and they would have to give up the A330s?

I think instead of a merger, there would first be an extensive codeshare agreement. Then, later there would be a Virign buyout of BMI where BMIs planes would still opearate the routes that Virgin cannot operate or those routes will be dropped!

[v1images]

I dont see the merger happening any time soon and here is a few responses to what has been posted above:

VS holidays have been offering BD flights to LAS, ANU, UVF and BGI since the route started to be honest.

SRBMOD mentioned this:

"If BA and VS remain the only two UK carriers allowed to do UK-US flights out of LHR, BM will merge with Virgin in order to be able to offer flights to the US out of LHR."

But a merger would defeat the object bmi want! IF VS bought BD then theoretically VS can change BD into VS and get rid of everything they dont want. All VS wants out of BD is their LHR slots, plain and simple. So instead of this 'increased competition' Sir Michael Bishop speaks of, it would basically reduce it. Instead of 3 UK airlines operating LHR-BOM there would be 2, RUH would be left without a UK airline when BD could operate the route in a niche market.

Although the merger seems good, looking into what VS would do if it happened doesnt suggest BD would be around any longer.

[AA 1818]

Does BMi get any competition on the RUH route? Does Saudi Arabian fly his route also?

[Humberside]

VS holidays have been offering BD flights to LAS, ANU, UVF and BGI since the route started to be honest.

And I doubt without Virgin Holidays they would have started in the first place