bmi regional set to assume two Brussels Airlines' routes

Former bmi regional exec may acquire Stobart Air - report

Ian Woodley, an aviation advisor and former bmi regional (BM, Aberdeen Dyce) executive, is reportedly in talks to acquire Aer Lingus Regional operator Stobart Air (RE, Dublin Int'l), unnamed sources have told the Irish Independent.

Andy Jolly, managing director of Stobart Air, is also understood to be involved in the talks alongside Woodley, and a UK-based private equity firm would provide financing for a deal, according to the newspaper.

In May 2012, Woodley led Sector Aviation Holdings, an Aberdeen-based consortium, when it bought bmi regional from IAG International Airlines Group (IAG later bought Aer Lingus in September 2015). He remained chairman and co-shareholder of the regional carrier until 2016. bmi regional eventually ceased operations in February 2019. Woodley was also founder and co-chairman of Business Air (United Kingdom) (II, Aberdeen Dyce) from 1990 to 2000.

Jolly, meanwhile, was chief operating officer at Loganair (LM, Glasgow Int'l) between 2007 and 2011, then general manager of Hebridean Air Services (HBR, Cumbernauld) until 2015 when he became COO...

bmi regional rebrands as flybmi

bmi regional (BM, Aberdeen Dyce) has rebranded as flybmi (BM, Aberdeen Dyce), adjusting the name to the website domain used, the carrier has said in a statement.

The website and booking engine have also been updated and simplified. The carrier's new logo continues to reference the legacy of the bmi brand and has not been designed anew.

The new booking engine has been developed by Germanys' 2e Systems.

bmi regional itself was rebranded from British Midland Commuter in 2001. The carrier was a subsidiary of bmi british midland (BD, East Midlands) prior to the acquisition of the airline by British Airways in 2012. Subsequently, BA did not retain ownership of bmi regional and sold it to Sector Aviation Holdings. Nowadays, flybmi is owned by Airline Investments Limited which also controls Loganair (LM, Glasgow Int'l).

UK's Loganair to add maiden regional jets in 2019

Loganair (LM, Glasgow Int'l) is planning to add at least two regional jets in Summer 2019 in order to launch new services from Glasgow Int'l to continental Europe, Managing Director Jonathan Hinkles has said during a conference at the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.

"It is a good opportunity for us to increase travel between Europe and the Highlands and Islands for business and high-end tourism, using Glasgow as a hub. There are major European centres that are not currently served from Glasgow," Hinkles has been quoted as saying by The Scotsman.

The new aircraft will be Embraer Regional Jets transferred from Loganair's sister carrier bmi regional. The aircraft will be first deployed on the Glasgow-Stornoway route prior to the commencement of European services.

Loganair currently operates solely turboprop aircraft, including one DHC-6-300, two DHC-6-400s, two Do328-100s, five Saab 2000s, two Saab 340As, twelve Saab 340Bs, two Saab 340(F)s and two BN-2s. It currently wet-leases a single ERJ-145 from bmi.

According to...

Slovenia's Adria Airways to wet-lease an ERJ-145 in 3Q18