View source for Bmibaby

{{Short description|Defunct low-cost airline of the United Kingdom (2002–2012)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline          = bmibaby
| logo             = Bmibaby.png
| logo_size        = 230
| fleet_size       = 
| destinations     = 
| IATA             = WW
| ICAO             = BMI
| callsign         = BABY
| parent           = [[British Midland International]]
| founded          = {{start date|2002|01|24|df=yes}}
| commenced        = {{start date|2002|03|23|df=yes}}
| ceased           = {{end date|2012|09|09|df=yes}}
| headquarters     = [[Donington Hall]], [[Castle Donington, England|Castle Donington]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom]]<ref name="info">{{cite web |url=http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/about_us/company_information.aspx |title=About us |publisher=Bmibaby |access-date=1 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714065921/http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/about_us/company_information.aspx |archive-date=14 July 2012 }} ()</ref>
| key_people       = {{bulleted list|
  | Wolfgang Prock-Schauer ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])
  | Stefan Lauer ([[Chairman]])
  | Peter Simpson ([[Managing Director]])<ref>{{cite news |title=BMI Baby to stop Belfast flights from 11 June |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17940862 |newspaper=BBC News Online |date=3 May 2012 |access-date=21 July 2012}}</ref>}}
| bases          = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Birmingham Airport|Birmingham]]
  | [[East Midlands Airport|East Midlands]]}}
| frequent_flyer = BMI Diamond Club
}}

'''Bmibaby Limited''' (styled as '''bmibaby.com''') was a British [[low-cost airline]] that flew to destinations in the United Kingdom and Europe from its bases at [[Birmingham Airport|Birmingham]] and [[East Midlands Airport|East Midlands]] airports. It was a subsidiary of [[British Midland International]], itself wholly owned by [[International Airlines Group]] (IAG). Bmibaby's head office was at [[Donington Hall]] in [[Castle Donington]], [[North West Leicestershire]], [[England]].<ref name="info"/> Bmibaby held a [[Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority]] Type A Operating Licence, and was permitted to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Following the takeover of BMI and its subsidiaries by IAG in April 2012, it was announced on 3 May 2012 that Bmibaby would be shut down in September 2012, with many flights ceasing to operate with effect from 11 June.<ref name="PA-03-05-2012">{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hIpt-nNSHyRRen91Rn3IrOiNym_Q?docId=N0081021336066040525A|title=Low fare airline bmibaby to close|agency=Press Association|date=3 May 2012|access-date=3 May 2012}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Bmibaby's final flight, from Málaga to East Midlands, operated on 9 September 2012.

==History==
The airline was established on 24 January 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/2b3c02d9083ccfe2cb5ec04e15921813/compdetails|title=Companies House WebCHeck|access-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> and began operations on 23 March 2002 with a flight between East Midlands and [[Málaga Airport|Málaga]].

[[File:G-BVZE B737-500 BMI Baby (4196775549).jpg|thumb|left|Boeing 737-500 taxiing in 2009]]

Continued expansion for the airline led to it opening further bases at [[Cardiff Airport|Cardiff]] in October 2002,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newswales.co.uk/index.php?section=Transport&F=1&id=5806|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210043725/http://www.newswales.co.uk/index.php?section=Transport&F=1&id=5806|url-status=dead|title=bmibaby to serve nine destinations from Cardiff Airport|archivedate=10 February 2009}}</ref> [[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] in May 2003,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/passenger-numbers-soar-400-at-bmibaby-542491.html|title=Passenger numbers soar 400% at bmibaby - Business News, Business - The Independent|website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=10 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210031535/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/passenger-numbers-soar-400-at-bmibaby-542491.html |archive-date=10 February 2009 }}</ref> [[Durham Tees Valley Airport|Durham Tees Valley]] in October 2003,<ref>[http://icteesside.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/teespride/2003/04/22/bmibaby-chooses-teesside-for-new-low-cost-base-50080-12877484/ bmibaby chooses Teesside for new low-cost base] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217042028/http://icteesside.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/teespride/2003/04/22/bmibaby-chooses-teesside-for-new-low-cost-base-50080-12877484/ |date=17 February 2012 }}</ref> [[Birmingham Airport, England|Birmingham]] in January 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=bEyZftSD20U=&id=jAERoqnLlek=&article=xcGkTytaw6I=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220083903/http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=bEyZftSD20U%3D&id=jAERoqnLlek%3D&article=xcGkTytaw6I%3D|url-status=dead|title=bmibaby confirms first nine European routes from Birmingham Airport|archivedate=20 February 2012}}</ref> and [[George Best Belfast City Airport|Belfast City Airport]] in March 2012. Insufficient passenger numbers led to the closure of the Durham Tees Valley base in 2006,<ref>[http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/2006/09/bmibaby_to_end_.html bmibaby to end Durham Tees Valley operations] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605233253/http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/2006/09/bmibaby_to_end_.html |date=5 June 2008 }}</ref> followed by both Cardiff and Manchester in 2011 to make way for expansion in the Midlands and the new base at Belfast City.

On 1 March 2007, the airline announced an initiative for business travellers with an "only choose what you need" approach, allowing passengers to choose from a range of services such as ticket flexibility, executive lounge access and on-line check in, and only pay for the services they used. The company also announced that BMI's frequent flyers could now gain [[British Midland International#Diamond Club|Diamond Club]] miles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uk-airport-news.info/birmingham-airport-news-250507.htm|title=bmibaby joins Diamond Club : Birmingham Airport News Stories|access-date=26 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032340/http://www.uk-airport-news.info/birmingham-airport-news-250507.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

By 2007, Bmibaby had nine Boeing 737 aircraft based at East Midlands Airport, making it their biggest base, however in December 2008 the airline announced that it would be suspending five routes from the airport as a result of a reduction in the number of customers booking city-breaks.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sixty five jobs go at bmibaby |author=David Irwin |url=http://www.solihullnews.net/news/solihull-news/2008/12/01/sixty-five-jobs-go-at-bmibaby-105074-22378827/ |newspaper=Solihull News |date=1 December 2008 |access-date=1 January 2012 |archive-date=31 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731015216/http://www.solihullnews.net/news/solihull-news/2008/12/01/sixty-five-jobs-go-at-bmibaby-105074-22378827/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Bmibaby Boeing 737-36M (G-TOYJ) by Martin Woudstra.jpg|thumb|right|Boeing 737-300 departing Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in 2012]]

Further cuts were announced in November 2009 when it was announced that the fleet would be reduced from 17 to 12 aircraft in 2010, with up to 158 jobs at risk of redundancy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Low-cost airline cutting 158 jobs |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8342207.stm |work=BBC News |date=4 November 2009 |access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> The airline said the action was necessary to stem record losses and that it would focus on growth routes best fit for the business.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/0413358-bmibaby-focus-growth-routes|title=Bmibaby to focus on growth routes - Buying Business Travel|access-date=26 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229062237/http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/0413358-bmibaby-focus-growth-routes|archive-date=29 February 2012}}</ref>

In April 2011, Bmibaby announced it would close its bases at Cardiff and Manchester Airports in October 2011 to increase services at Birmingham and East Midlands Airports as well as opening a new base at Belfast City Airport, moving from Belfast International Airport where the airline was based for several years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bmibaby to stop flying from Cardiff and Manchester |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13066764 |work=BBC News |date=13 April 2011 |access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref>

[[File:DoningtonHallCastleDonington.jpg|thumb|left|[[Donington Hall]], the head office of Bmibaby]]

In May 2011, Bmibaby launched what it called the first European airline loyalty programme tied into a location-based social network. Passengers use the [[Gowalla]] smartphone application at Bmibaby check-in desks to collect points.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/disciplines/data-strategy/bmibaby-launches-gowalla-loyalty-scheme/3025987.article |title=Bmibaby launches Gowalla loyalty scheme |author=Laura O'Reilly |date=3 May 2011 |publisher=Marketing Week |access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref>

On 22 December 2011, IAG announced it had agreed a contract with [[Lufthansa]] to buy BMI. The contract allowed for Lufthansa to sell BMI Regional and Bmibaby separately before the completion of the main sale, although the price payable by IAG would be reduced if the airlines were not sold.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iairgroup.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=240949&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1642163&highlight= |title=Binding Agreement for bmi purchase |date=22 December 2011 |publisher=International Airlines Group |access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> On 2 February 2012, BMI announced it had signed a "non-binding and non-exclusive" agreement with a "UK-based company", with plans to complete the sale by the summer of 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/bmi-closes-in-on-sale-of-bmibaby |title=Bmi closes in on sale of Bmibaby |date=2 February 2012 |publisher=Business Traveller |access-date=1 February 2012}}</ref> The sale was not completed by the time IAG purchased BMI, and so Bmibaby and BMI Regional became part of the group. IAG said it would continue the attempts to sell both airlines.<ref>{{cite news |title=BA owner IAG doubts it can sell BMI Baby and Regional |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17817981 |work=BBC News |date=23 April 2012 |access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref>

However, on 3 May 2012 IAG announced that it had not found a buyer for Bmibaby and that it was proposing to shut down the company by 9 September 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/faqs/important_information.aspx |title=Important information for customers |publisher=Bmibaby |access-date=28 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507230913/http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/faqs/important_information.aspx |archive-date=7 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Flights to some destinations such as Belfast, Amsterdam, Paris and Geneva ended on 11 June 2012.<ref name="PA-03-05-2012" /> All remaining services ended by 9 September 2012. The final flight to operate was flight WW5330 from Malaga to East Midlands. Over 800 jobs were lost by the closure, including 400 at the head office in Castle Donington.<ref>{{cite news |title=BMI Baby will fly for the final time today |url=http://www.itv.com/news/central/2012-09-09/bmi-baby-will-fly-for-the-final-time-today/ |work=ITV News |date=9 September 2012 |access-date=12 September 2012}}</ref>

After its closure, [[WOW air]] took the WW IATA code while the ICAO code BMI remains unused.

== Destinations ==
Bmibaby served the following destinations before its closure on 9 September 2012:<ref>[http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/where_we_fly/route_map.aspx Bmibaby Route Map]</ref>{{Failed verification|date=February 2018}}

{|class="wikitable sortable" 
!Country/Territory
!City
!Airport
!Notes
!class="unsortable"|Ref
|-
|Austria||[[Salzburg]]||[[Salzburg Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|Channel Islands||[[Jersey]]||[[Jersey Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|Croatia||[[Dubrovnik]]||[[Dubrovnik Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|Czech Republic||[[Prague]]||[[Václav Havel Airport Prague]]||align=center| ||align=center| 
|-
|Denmark||[[Copenhagen]]||[[Copenhagen Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan="8"|France||[[Bordeaux]]||[[Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Chambéry]]||[[Chambéry Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Lourdes]]||[[Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Montpellier]]||[[Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Nice]]||[[Nice Côte d'Azur Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Paris]]||[[Charles de Gaulle Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Perpignan]]||[[Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Toulouse]]||[[Toulouse–Blagnac Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan="2"|Germany|||[[Cologne]] / [[Bonn]]||[[Cologne Bonn Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Munich]]||[[Munich Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|Gibraltar||[[Gibraltar]]||[[Gibraltar International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}||align=center|
|-
|Greece||[[Corfu]]||[[Corfu International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan="3"|Ireland||[[Cork (city)|Cork]]||[[Cork Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Dublin]]||[[Dublin Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Knock, County Mayo|Knock]]||[[Ireland West Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan="5"|Italy||[[Alghero]]||[[Alghero–Fertilia Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Naples]]||[[Naples International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Rome]]||[[Rome Fiumicino Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Venice]]||[[Venice Marco Polo Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Verona]]||[[Verona Villafranca Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}||align=center|
|-
|Malta||[[Valletta]]||[[Malta International Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}||align=center|
|-
|Netherlands||[[Amsterdam]]||[[Amsterdam Airport Schiphol]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center| 
|-
|rowspan="2"|Portugal||[[Faro, Portugal|Faro]]||[[Gago Coutinho Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Lisbon]]||[[Humberto Delgado Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan="8"|Spain||[[Alicante]]||[[Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Almería]]||[[Almería Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Barcelona]] ||[[Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Ibiza]] ||[[Ibiza Airport]]||{{Airline seasonal}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Málaga]] ||[[Málaga Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Menorca]] ||[[Menorca Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Murcia]] ||[[Murcia–San Javier Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Palma de Mallorca]] ||[[Palma de Mallorca Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|Switzerland||[[Geneva]]||[[Geneva Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
| Switzerland<br>France<br>Germany ||[[Basel]]<br>[[Mulhouse]]<br>[[Freiburg im Breisgau|Freiburg]]||[[EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|- 
|rowspan="15"|United Kingdom||[[Aberdeen]]||[[Aberdeen Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Belfast]]||[[George Best Belfast City Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Belfast International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Birmingham]]||[[Birmingham Airport]]||{{Airline hub|Base}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Bournemouth]]||[[Bournemouth Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Bristol]]||[[Bristol Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Cardiff]]||[[Cardiff Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[East Midlands]]||[[East Midlands Airport]]||{{Airline hub|Base}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Edinburgh]]||[[Edinburgh Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Glasgow]]||[[Glasgow Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[London]]||[[Gatwick Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[London Stansted Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Manchester]]||[[Manchester Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Newquay]]||[[Cornwall Airport Newquay]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Teesside]] ||[[Teesside International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|}

== Fleet ==
[[File:Bmibaby in Barcelona (Catalonia).jpg|thumb|right|Boeing 737-300 landing at [[Barcelona El Prat Airport]] in 2010]]

As of September 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&aircrafttype=Boeing&owner=British%20Midland|title=Aircraft registration - UK Civil Aviation Authority|access-date=26 June 2016|archive-date=14 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914175903/http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&aircrafttype=Boeing&owner=British%20Midland|url-status=dead}}</ref> the Bmibaby fleet consisted of the following aircraft in an all-economy class configuration:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto;"
|+ '''Bmibaby fleet'''
|- 
! Aircraft
! Total
! Passengers <br> {{small| (Economy) }}
|-
|[[Boeing 737-300]]
|align=center|12
|align=center|148
|-
|[[Boeing 737-500]]
|align=center| 2
|align=center|131
|-
!Total
!14
!
|}

Several aircraft had names with the word ''baby'' in the title. After all flights ceased, the aircraft were placed in storage at [[Norwich International Airport]] and [[Lasham Airfield]]. The majority of the airline's fleet was leased. As of November 2014, all the fleet had moved on from Bmibaby, one had been scrapped (G-OBMP) and the last one partly remains with some of the fuselage in some trees at Bruntingthorpe (G-BVKB).{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

== Services ==
=== Onboard ===
Bmibaby offered a [[buy on board]] programme with variety of items to purchase including scratch-cards, tax-free shopping and onboard drinks and snacks. The shopping range included items such as jewellery and fragrances, gifts and travel accessories. On non-EU flights, duty-free priced cigarettes and spirits could be purchased. Drinks and snack items included hot and cold drinks, alcoholic and soft drinks as well as crisps, sandwiches and confectionery. The drinks and snack menu was named the ''Tiny Bites'' menu. The Bmibaby inflight magazine was known as ''Yeah baby!''

The majority of Bmibaby's cabins had shaded blue leather seating with a 29/30" seat pitch. Extra legroom seats could be found on the front rows and on over-wing exit rows of all the Bmibaby 737 aircraft.

=== Telephone booking ===
In addition to online booking on the bmibaby.com website; Bmibaby employed 20-30 customer service representatives to take telephone queries and bookings. Prior to November 2005 the team were located in Glasgow.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teletech-and-bmibaby-launch-national-reservations-and-customer-care-center-74201772.html|title=TeleTech and bmibaby Launch National Reservations and Customer Care Center|first=TeleTech Holdings|last=Inc.|access-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> From November 2005, the team was based in Belfast working in the [[TTEC|TeleTech]] customer contact centre. The call centre was then moved to Delhi, India and remained there until the firm's closure in 2012.

== Sponsorship ==
Bmibaby began to sponsor [[ITV Weather|regional weather forecasts]] on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] from shortly after the airline's launch, starting in the [[ITV Central|Central region]] in 2002 and ending in the [[ITV Granada|Granada region]] in early 2005. The sponsorship lasted for several years until new sponsorships took over between 2009 & 2011.

==See also==
* [[List of defunct airlines of the United Kingdom]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Bmibaby}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94f2Tkk_-To bmibaby tribute video]

{{Portal bar|England|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of the United Kingdom}}
{{European Low Fares Airline Association}}
{{International Airlines Group}}

[[Category:Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 2002]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:British companies established in 2002]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:British Midland International]]
[[Category:Companies based in Leicestershire]]
[[Category:Defunct European low-cost airlines]]
[[Category:European Low Fares Airline Association]]
[[Category:North West Leicestershire District]]
[[Category:Former Star Alliance affiliate members]]