UK-based Star Alliance carrier BMI has released a tender covering up to 20 aircraft and 20 options, although it is remaining silent on its exact capacity specification.
The company has three divisions, comprising all-Airbus mainline carrier BMI, Embraer unit BMI Regional and budget carrier BMIbaby, which has an all-Boeing fleet.
Speaking to Flight at the British Air Transport Association’s (BATA) annual dinner in London, BMI deputy chief executive Tim Bye said a tender for 20 aircraft plus 20 options has been released.
Bye declines to comment on which of the three fleets might be covered by the tender or give any information on the capacity or type which is being sought.
He says the results and recommendations from tender will be presented at a board meeting in March.
BMIbaby operates 13 Boeing 737-300s and six -500s with an average fleet age of 12.8 years, according to ATI sister product ACAS. BMI mainline has a fleet comprising three Airbus A330s, five A321s, 11 A320s and nine A319s. ACAS lists the oldest of these as being constructed in 1999.
BMI Regional operates 11 Embraer ERJ-145s and three ERJ-135s, which range in build year from 1998 to 2004. BMI Regional only recently announced its plan to acquire four additional ERJ-145s.
Although BMI Regional has brought in an ATR 42-300 to perform specific missions and its mainline division has a Boeing 767-300ER, these are not part of the airlines’ core fleets.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
