bmi to Operate Direct Toronto- Manchester Service in Cooperation with Air Canada

bmi, the UK’s second largest full service scheduled airline, will begin operating direct non-stop flights from Toronto to Manchester from April 27 in cooperation with Air Canada, making it the biggest UK provider of transatlantic scheduled services from the regions.  The joint service will initially operate four times a week, increasing to daily from May 27th for the peak of the summer season. Seats on the new service are available for sale effective February 03rd.

With the introduction of a bmi Airbus A330 onto the joint operation, passengers on the route will, for the first time, have a choice of three cabins – the business, new economy and economy – award winning products with well-established and proven passenger appeal.

Austin Reid, bmi chief executive officer, said: “Following the proven success of our services from Manchester to the USA over the past two and a half years we are delighted to have the opportunity to expand our long haul operations thanks to this cooperation agreement with Air Canada.  The bmi long haul product enables us to provide customers of both airlines with a wider choice of service level options from Manchester to Toronto.  ”We are confident that the route will be a great success and that the joint sales and marketing efforts of bmi and our Star Alliance partner Air Canada will be to the benefit of both airlines.

“Air Canada has many years experience of being the operating airline on the route and this will be of great value in ensuring its future and continued success. Our agreement is an ideal fit for both of the partners.  The north west will now have a new bmi gateway to North America, with an extensive range of onward connections from Toronto under bmi code share arrangements with Air Canada.”

Montie Brewer, Air Canada executive vice-president, commercial, said: “Our joint service between Manchester and Toronto with bmi is great news for transatlantic business travellers. Together with bmi, we are now able to offer customers an improved schedule between our main hub in Toronto and the north west UK, featuring more convenient timings of particular interest to business travellers.

“In addition to a choice of premium inflight services, customers will enjoy enhanced connections via Manchester to points within the UK served by bmi as well as via Toronto to Air Canada?s extensive network across Canada and the US.”

bmi’s long haul product, which features innovations such as onboard chefs and individual entertainment screens for all passengers, as well as a unique inflight telemedicine service, has won many plaudits, including a maximum five star rating by Business Traveller magazine and first place in a Holiday Which survey of airlines serving the USA.

The addition of Toronto further strengthens the bmi long haul network from Manchester, complementing services to Chicago and Washington, which were launched in 2001. The airline, which is market leader on the Manchester-Chicago route, will now operate more direct services from Manchester to the North American continent than any other carrier.

bmi is the UK’s second largest full service scheduled airline, operating more than 2,000 flights a week on 45 routes throughout the UK, Europe and transatlantic to North America.  To book or for more information, please contact bmi reservations at 1-800-788-0555 or visit www.flybmi-canada.com (trade) orwww.flybmi.com (consumer).

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January 30, 2004   Posted in: Airlines & Railways