British budget carrier bmibaby expanding operations at East Midlands Airport in a big way

The low-cost airline bmibaby, which is a subsidiary of bmi, is expanding its services from East Midlands Airport in England by raising capacity at the airport by 40%, by basing more planes there, by increasing frequencies as well as by adding routes.The Britain-based bmibaby says it is doing so in order to replace the routes that the low-cost carrier easyJet had cancelled earlier in September 2009.

 In a statement, bmibaby announced that it will base an additional 3 aircraft at East Midlands Airport as well as operate services on 8 new European routes – to Barcelona (Spain), Alghero (Sardinia), Dubrovnik (Croatia),  Bastia (in Corsica, France),  Newquay and  Cork (the United Kingdom), Venice (Italy), and Malta.

 The airline also will enhance the frequency of some important flights for the winter and summer.

 bmibaby said that it expects to fly 350,000 more from East Midlands Airport in 2010 when the capacity at the airport is raised by 40%.

 Also, the airline will operate an extra 2,872 flights from East Midlands Airport in 2010.

While bmibaby will add winter flights to Palma, it will extend services to Prague.

 Both bmi and bmibaby and have been operating from East Midlands Airport since the airport opened in 1965.

 In the statement, Crawford Rix, managing director of bmibaby, said that the carrier’s speedy expansion programme at East Midlands Airport is “fantastic news for the Midlands” and also “demonstrates further” the company’s “commitment to the airport.”

 Bmibaby will continue to offer low fares to a number of “exciting new destinations in Europe,” Rix added.

 The website dailymail.co.uk quoted Penny Coates, managing director of East Midlands Airport, as saying that this is “fantastic news” for the passengers of East Midlands Airport since bmibaby is not only adding new routes but also additional destinations for the summer of 2010.

All this will mean, according to Penny Coates, a considerable increase in the number of flights to coveted winter and summer destinations, and the addition of 3 planes based at the airport will give a wider choice for the passengers.

A week ago, the budget airline easyJet had announced its plans to close its base at East Midlands Airport and also reduce flights from Luton Airport in London by nearly 20%, citing as reasons escalating operating costs and the air passenger duty which is to be raised in November 2009.