bmi, the UK`s second largest full service scheduled airline, has been busy asking its passengers why they fly bmi for transatlantic travel and overall questions about the `bmi experience`.
The airline, which has been flying between the UK and the States since May 2001, has carried out a third wave of questioning on board its flights asking passengers to rate the overall satisfaction of the flight and the service provided.Ê The research revealed that bmi`s strongest area of service performance is the airline`s cabin crew and that the overall `bmi experience` is positive. Service areas that had the most influence on overall satisfaction, as well as crew, were inflight comfort, inflight food and drink and, for customers in the business class cabin, the inflight chefs.

Passengers that would fly bmi again or recommend the service to others scored particularly well with 77 per cent of respondents replying with a definite yes. Seventy three per cent of passengers questioned also said they preferred to travel transatlantic with bmi than with other carriers, such as BA and Virgin. In fact, three quarters of passengers surveyed rated the bmi flight as better than competitor offerings.

bmi is currently selling seats on its transatlantic services from just £247 return between Manchester and Washington and from just £287 return between Manchester and Chicago, which is probably why 94 per cent of passengers surveyed rated the value for money offering as good or very good.

Adrian Parkes, commercial director for bmi, said:
Ê“The findings show that bmi`s transatlantic offering is just what travellers between the UK and the States have been looking for. We`re particularly proud that the crew on board our transatlantic services are rated very highly and that over three quarters of our passengers would definitely fly with us again and recommend our services to friends and family.”

The research is used by bmi as a basis to improve the transatlantic offering to be the first choice operator to the States. An accolade, which has already been, recognised by business traveller magazine and via an independent Which? survey.

The bmi transatlantic product has three cabin classes available: the business, the new economy and economy. The new economy cabin was introduced to cater for travellers who wanted additional comfort and leg room and a point to use laptops, without the additional frills associated with the business.
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