British Midland International, more commonly known as bmi, was founded in 1949 under the name Derby Aviation Limited. bmi is headquartered at Castle Donington in Leicestershire, close to East Midlands airport. However, its main airport hub is London Heathrow airport, from which most bmi flights depart. Since July 2009 bmi has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of German flag-carrier Lufthansa, which also makes it part of the Star Alliance, a group of 27 international airlines covering a world-wide network of 181 countries.
From its humble beginnings bmi has spread its wings to become the second largest airline operating out of London Heathrow. Flights from bmi operate on a wide range of routes throughout Europe, North America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and South America. Specific flight information for bmi is subject to change as new routes may be introduced at any time. The bmi company slogan is “Better for Business”.
Check-in
Online check-in is available from 24 hours before departure. You must check-in at least 30 minutes before departure for short-haul flights, and 45-60 minutes for and mid and long-haul flights, depending on the airport.
Baggage
Economy passengers can take one piece of carry-on luggage that may not exceed 55cm x 40cm x 23cm. Business Class passengers are entitled to two pieces of carry-on luggage with the same size restrictions. Hold baggage weight must not exceed 20kg for Economy and 30kg for Business Class, although higher weight limits are in place on selected routes.
Seating
Short-haul economy seat pitch is a minimum of 31 inches, while business class is 31-32 inches, except the Boeing 757-200 where it is 50 inches. Long-haul Economy is 32 inches, Premium Economy 49 inches, and Business Class 78-80 inches.
Frequent Flyer Programme
The bmi frequent flyer programme is called the Diamond Club. Members can earn miles to spend on subsequent bmi flights or Star Alliance partners. The Highflyers programme also offers discounts and rewards.
Additional Information
A promotion has been launched by bmi to offer discounts on flights between 12 noon and 5pm on the last Friday of every month. The most recent bmi information on the offer suggests that customers could get up to 42 per cent off the price of flights in this exclusive five hour window.