bmi british midland today announced a major initiative launching a new no frills airline based at East Midlands Airport. The new airline will have a separate name and corporate identity from bmi british midland, which will continue to operate and develop as a full service international scheduled carrier.

The new airline will fly a dedicated fleet of Boeing 737 - 300 aircraft and serve an extensive range of key leisure destinations from East Midlands Airport, including high frequency services to Barcelona, Nice, Palma, Malaga, Faro and Alicante. Services will commence on March 23rd - a week before the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

Frequencies and further routes will be announced shortly, together with full details of the new airline’s internet prices, which will start at £25 each way, and details of an exciting introductory offer when flights are open for sale later this month.

The airline, whose name and corporate identity will be announced next week, will have a strong focus on giving passengers value for money. Fares will be highly competitive with additional savings available for tickets booked via the internet.

Nigel Turner, bmi’s director responsible for the new airline, said:

“bmi is launching this new airline in response to a clear market opportunity and consumer demand. We have been operating from East Midlands Airport for over 35 years and we are delighted to increase our commitment to the Airport and the region through the creation of this new no frills carrier.

“The new airline is an independent and valuable addition to the bmi family and we believe it will have a long and successful future.

“With the launch of this new airline, bmi will have a strong presence in both the no frills and full service airline sectors.”

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