British Midland launches scheduled services to the United States from Spring 2001

British Midland, has announced the launch of direct scheduled services from Manchester Airport to Washington Dulles and Chicago O’Hare from next Spring.

The daily return service to Washington DC will commence on 30 April 2001, followed by a daily return service between Manchester and Chicago from 21 May 2001. Both services will be operated on a codeshare basis with British Midland’s Star Alliance partner, United Airlines.

The new services will bring savings of up to 24% against the competition in business class to Washington, and up to 16% to Chicago. There will also be savings for economy class travellers to Washington of 18%, against the next lowest economy fare and 32% to Chicago.

The launch of these services will bring the first direct flights to the American capital from Manchester, and will provide the first-ever competition on the Manchester-Chicago route. Both services will be operated by wide bodied Airbus A330-200 series aircraft.

British Midland Chairman, Sir Michael Bishop said:

“The introduction of these services to Washington DC and Chicago represents a major step forward in opening up key American business destinations to genuine competition from Britain’s regional airports.

“Where we have introduced competition on routes in Europe against incumbent airlines, significant fare reductions have resulted. The same is now true on transatlantic routes, where we will be introducing savings of up to 24% against competitors in business class and savings of 32% for leisure travellers.

“Our lowest business class fares will also offer far better booking conditions that are more suitable to business travellers. Our customers will only have to book 14 days in advance, compared to 30 days for our competitors. Perhaps more importantly for business travellers, there is no minimum stay where our competitors insist on a 7 day minimum.

“In addition, British Midland will be offering a new fully flexible 4 day executive fare – a product that is unique to us in the marketplace. This will give the business traveller 12% off our full business return class ticket to Washington and 9% off our full business return class ticket to Chicago.

“Business travellers in the North West who prefer to travel economy will be able to take advantage of an entirely new concept in transatlantic travel to key US business destinations from Manchester: a special enhanced economy product.

“Travellers in this class will benefit from having a separate, dedicated cabin offering significant savings against our lowest business fares of up to 57%. It is clear then that our fares are not only lower than the competition, but they are more appropriate to the needs of business travellers.

“This is great news for our transatlantic air travellers from Manchester. We look forward to bringing similar benefits of competition to transatlantic customers from London Heathrow in the near future.

“This announcement is also good news for the regions with the direct creation of around 250 new jobs through the employment of pilots, cabin crew, and other ground staff as well as extra support throughout the business.”

In addition to a range of competitive fares, British Midland will also be offering one of the best long haul products currently available in the transatlantic market including:

In business class:

•  a 60 inch seat pitch, the largest in the market by 10 inches

•  seats that are able to recline almost flat with full leg and foot support

•  adjustable lumbar support

•  a noise cancelling headset

•  a PC power point

•  telephones

•  a 9 inch video screen

•  In enhanced economy class:

•  a 38 inch seat pitch pitch

•  adjustable lumbar support and moveable seat cushions

•  a PC power point

•  telephones

•  individual seat back screens

In economy class:

•  a 32 inch seat pitch

•  adjustable lumbar support and moveable seat cushions

•  individual seat back screens

In addition, all British Midland customers will be able to take advantage of state of the art, in-flight entertainment systems.

Sir Michael continued:

“Our business class will be a first class style service; our enhanced economy product will feature a separate, dedicated cabin primarily for business customers who want to travel economy and all our travellers will enjoy the latest, state of the art entertainment systems.

“This announcement marks nothing less than the beginning of a new era in transatlantic air travel. With the introduction of these British Midland services, transatlantic customers from Manchester will benefit from better service at lower fares.

“Passengers from Heathrow will be denied the benefits that genuine competition brings until the Bermuda II agreement is liberalised and we are allowed to enter the transatlantic market from Heathrow.”