bmi » Business (short haul) » User reviews

PatJordan flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A320-200 (config 2) (07/05/2012 21:35)

DUB-NICE-DUB (Business)

Booking and check in

www.flybmi.com is an easy site to navigate and there was little difficulty in viewing the options available for Nice. Since making the booking, BMI have revamped their site and has made navigation even easier.

A feature of business class is seat selection at time of booking, and I was delighted to be able to choose our seats there and then.

On line check-in is available 24 hours prior to travel, and I used this facility to print our boarding passes.

We arrived at Dublin Terminal 1 just after 1,00pm for our 3.10pm flight and proceeded to the BMI bag drop off, which took no time at all. Our bags were checked through to NCE.

BMI economy flexible/business includes use of the fast track security lane which is useful. We were airside within minutes. This fast track access can be purchased from the Dublin Airport website as part of the airport genie package. If travelling at a busy time, the small fee is well worth it.

Lounge (Dublin)

The Diamond Club lounge is close to the main shopping area and is furnished in the usual BMI manner: bright colour sofas with plenty of natural light. This lounge hasn’t yet had a makeover similar to that carried out in the LHR lounge. Given the current ownership situation, it remains to be seen what the future holds for this lounge.

Restrooms are outside the lounge and are shared with the Dublin Airport Authority lounge.

There is a limited range of food: biscuits, sweets and packaged pastries.

The lounge is a short walk from gates 301-313 (the old B pier).

Boarding (Dublin)

Boarding is through an airbridge and rearmost rows are called first to minimize delays. Diamond Club Gold holders and economy flexible passengers are invited to board at their leisure, and there is now a dedicated lane for premium passengers.

Being in row 1 our hand baggage had to be stowed in the overhead bins, so if the flight is busy it can be worthwhile boarding early to ensure space is available close to the seats.

The Airbus 320 was immaculate and the cabin was configured in full economy mode, all seats 3-3. The first rows were reserved for economy flexible. Seats were in the newer BMI brown colour, and very attractive.

Inflight

The Captain gave a brief welcome and details of flight times, followed by a safety announcement from the cabin crew. We pushed back shortly after 3.00pm and were airborne by 3.10pm.

Catering consisted of a slice of lemon cake with a choice of soft or alcoholic drink.

We landed in Heathrow at 4.10pm and as we were transiting, stayed on board whilst most passengers deplaned to await a coach to bring us to the flight connection centre, which left us adjacent to the Star Alliance lounge. There was no departure gate showing for BD 195 to Nice, so we proceeded to the BMI International lounge which is close to the usual departure area for European flights.

In retrospect, it is almost as quick to leave the plane normally, and return through the security screening area in T1. Given that this security area is usually very efficient, and it’s proximity to the BMI lounges, I would take this option in the future if transiting through T1.

Great British Lounge

BMI European flights use what was formerly BA’s Terraces lounge. The excellent views over the apron remain, but the lounge has been extensively refurbished. A good range of food is offered with a full bar service. PCs with internet access are provided for those who need to work, and there is a good range of newspapers and magazines.

The boarding gate is close to the lounge, except on this occasion when we learned that the Nice flight would depart from Gate 32….which is adjacent to the Star Alliance lounge!! The long walk up and down the length of Terminal 1was as good as any workout, but left us with barely enough time for a coffee and sandwich from the excellent range on offer.

Boarding

Boarding is by means of an airbridge, and as before Business Class passengers were called first. The cabin crew warmly welcomed passengers and we were shown to our seats.

The Airbus 320 is a two class configuration with the first 8 rows in business class arranged 3-3 with the middle seat blanked off with a table which folds into the seatback when needed for economy use.

Inflight service consisted of an excellent braised beef with salads, warm bread and dessert, with tea/coffee afterwards. All served on china and with proper cutlery and glassware. My wife and I chose white and red wine, respectively, and regular refills were offered. The overall standard of food and drink was excellent, as was the service.

On landing in NCE, our bags were delivered in 5 minutes, and it was a very short walk to the terminal exit.

There is a frequent bus service to Nice city centre and costs a reasonable 4euro. This ticket is valid for a full day’s travel around Nice on buses and trams, and must be one of the best value airport transfers in Europe.

Return Check in and security

We arrived at NCE for our flight 1.00pm flight at 10.30am. As this was our first time flying out of NCE, we were unsure about what time to allow, and erred on the side of caution.

Terminal 1 is very compact and at that particular time was very quiet. We had already checked in online, so all that remained was to drop off our bags. This was done within a couple of minutes, our bags marked “priority”, and were checked through to Dublin.

Security was deserted and we were airside almost immediately.

Lounge NCE

BMI use the Business Lounge in Nice, and is very bright and spacious. There was a good range of savoury and sweet snacks, full bar and champagne served on request, which we enjoyed greatly.

As 1pm approached, we discovered that due to heavy fog at LHR, there were delays and as a result we would be boarding late, possibly after 2.00pm. As it happened shortly after 1.30pm, boarding was called. We assembled at the gate, and awaited a bus to drive us to the aircraft.

Cabin crew welcomed passengers, and the Airbus A320 was identical to that used on the outbound flight.

We spoke to the flight supervisor (Emmy) and asked about our connecting flight from LHR to Dublin. As there were so many flights delayed (in and out of LHR) we didn’t expect any problems, and settled in to enjoy the flight.

After an update from the Captain, the safety announcement, we finally pushed back. The runway at NCE is surrounded on both sides by water and the views from the aircraft during taxi and take off are stunning.

The meal was a delicious fish pie, served on proper crockery, and was excellent.

We had a lengthy taxi in LHR, and were on stand at approx 3.30pm. This left a tight timeframe for the onward flight to Dublin (scheduled for 4.00pm) but were confident of making it, especially as were parked beside the BMI UK departure area.

However, as we were on an international flight, we had to be bussed to flight connections, and the plane was unloaded from the rear, thus making us almost the last off. Luckily there was no delay at flight connection, and we made our way promptly to gate 8 where our flight was scheduled to depart.

However it was almost 4.00pm by now, and I decided to ask at the BMI lounge about the actual departure time. Amazingly, this was one of the few flights to be on time, and despite an enquiry from the lounge staff, the flight had closed.

Peter, in the lounge was very helpful and arranged for us to be transferred to the next flight to Dublin. However, this was not until 8.05pm which left almost 4 hours to kill.

Lounge Heathrow

The Great British Lounge is very big with plenty of natural light. However as it was after dark, the lighting was very pleasant and relaxing.

The food consists of soup, rolls, cheese, crackers, biscuits, crisps, nuts, good quality cheesecake and gateaux. I particularly like the jars of old fashioned sweets, always brings me back to my childhood!! There is a full bar service.

Boarding

Unusually the Dublin bound flight boarded at gate 78, and quite a walk from the lounge.

Boarding was by rows, and was quite efficient. As with Dublin, there was a dedicated economy flexible/Diamond Club Silver & Gold cardholder lane.

The Cabin crew were very welcoming indeed. This Airbus 320 was configured in full economy mode, all seats 3-3. The first 3 rows were reserved for economy flexible. Seats were in the newer BMI brown colour, and very attractive. As we had chosen row 1, the bulkhead ensured that we didn’t have a seatback too close to our faces.

After a welcome announcement from the Captain, the cabin crew gave a safety demonstration.

We pushed back shortly after our scheduled time of 8.05pm, and were airborne shortly afterwards.

Catering consisted of a hot wrap which was quite tasty, and a full bar service.

Arrival at Dublin was shortly after 9.20pm and we were on stand shortly afterwards. Passport control was very swift and a short walk to the baggage hall. After a few minutes the first bags appeared on the belt. I was pleased to find that ours (with Priority tags) were amongst the first delivered.

Conclusion

A very pleasant experience indeed.The delay on the return flight was a nuisance, but weather is beyond anybody’s control, and I acknowledge the efforts of the lounge staff to rebook us on a later flight home.

What stands out most of all is the enthusiasm and professionalism of the BMI cabin crew and lounge staff at a time when they faced much uncertainty over their future.

PatJordan flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A319-100 (2-Class) (02/03/2012 21:20)

DUB-NICE-DUB (Business)

Booking and check in

www.flybmi.com is an easy site to navigate and as I was planning a short break for my wife and I, there was little difficulty in viewing the options available for Nice.

A feature of business class is seat selection at time of booking, and I was delighted to be able to choose our seats there and then.

On line check-in is available 24 hours prior to travel, and I used this facility to print our boarding passes.

We arrived at Dublin Terminal 1 just after 1,00pm for our 3.10pm flight and proceeded to the BMI bag drop off, which took no time at all. Our bags were checked through to NCE.

BMI economy flexible/business includes use of the fast track security lane which is useful. We were airside within minutes.

Lounge (Dublin)

The Diamond Club lounge is adjacent to the main shopping area and is furnished in the usual BMI manner: bright colour sofas with plenty of natural light. Restrooms are outside the lounge and are shared with the Dublin Airport Authority lounge.

There is a limited range of food: biscuits, sweets and packaged pastries.

The lounge is a short walk from gates 301-313 (the old B pier).

Boarding (Dublin)

Boarding is through an airbridge and rearmost rows are called first to minimize delays. Diamond Club Gold holders and economy flexible passengers are invited to board at their leisure, and there is now a dedicated lane for premium passengers.

Being in row 1 our hand baggage had to be stowed in the overhead bins, so if the flight is busy it can be worthwhile boarding early to ensure space is available close to the seats.

The Airbus 320 was immaculate and cabin crew warmly welcomed passengers.
This Airbus 320 was configured in full economy mode, all seats 3-3. The first rows were reserved for economy flexible. Seats were in the newer BMI brown colour, and very attractive.

Inflight

The Captain gave a brief welcome and details of flight times, followed by a safety announcement from the cabin crew. We pushed back shortly after 3.00pm and were airborne by 3.10pm.

Catering consisted of a slice of lemon cake with a choice of soft or alcoholic drink.

We landed in Heathrow at 4.10pm and as we were transiting, stayed on board whilst most passengers deplaned to await a coach to bring us to the flight connection centre, which left us adjacent to the Star Alliance lounge. There was no departure gate showing for BD 195 to Nice, so we proceeded to the BMI International lounge which is close to the usual departure area for European flights.

Great British Lounge

BMI European flights use what was formerly BA’s Terraces lounge. The excellent views over the apron remain, but the lounge has been extensively refurbished. A good range of food is offered with a full bar service. PCs with internet access are provided for those who need to work, and there is a good range of newspapers and magazines.

The boarding gate is close to the lounge, except on this occasion when we learned that the Nice flight would depart from Gate 32….which is adjacent to the Star Alliance lounge!! The long walk up and down the length of Terminal 1was as good as any workout, but left us with barely enough time for a coffee and sandwich from the excellent range on offer.

Boarding

Boarding is by means of an airbridge, and as before Business Class passengers were called first. The cabin crew warmly welcomed passengers and we were shown to our seats.

The Airbus 320 is a two class configuration with the first 8 rows in business class arranged 3-3 with the middle seat blanked off with a table which folds into the seatback when needed for economy use.

Inflight service consisted of an excellent braised beef with salads, warm bread and dessert, with tea/coffee afterwards. All served on china and with proper cutlery and glassware. My wife and I chose white and red wine, respectively, and regular refills were offered. The overall standard of food was excellent, as was the service.

On landing in NCE, our bags were delivered in 5 minutes, and it was a very short walk to the terminal exit.

Return Check in and security

We arrived at NCE at for our flight. 1.00pm flight at 10.30am. As this was our first time flying out of NCE, we were unsure about what time to allow, and erred on the side of caution. Terminal 1 is very compact and at that particular time was very quiet. We had already checked in online, so all that remained was to drop off our bags. This was done within a couple of minutes, with our bags marked “priority”, and as before were checked through to Dublin.

Security was deserted and we were airside almost immediately.

Lounge NCE

BMI use the Business Lounge in Nice, and is very bright and spacious. There was a good range of savoury and sweet snacks, full bar and champagne served on request, which we enjoyed greatly.

As 1pm approached, there was no information on the screens about boarding, so we decided to go to the gate. There were the same two staff on duty, neither of whom had any information about the proposed boarding time. Eventually, we discovered that due to heavy fog at LHR, there were delays as a result, and we would be boarding late, possibly after 2.00pm.

We then returned to the lounge, and shortly after 1.30pm, boarding was called. We again reassembled at the gate, and awaited a bus to drive us to the aircraft.

Cabin crew welcomed passengers, and the Airbus A320 was identical to that used on the outbound flight.

We spoke to the flight supervisor (Emmy) and asked about our connecting flight from LHR to Dublin. As there were so many flights delayed (in and out of LHR) we didn’t expect any problems, and settled in to enjoy the flight. After an update from the Captain, the safety announcement, we finally pushed back and taxied towards the runway. The runway at NCE is surrounded on both sides by water and is very picturesque.

The meal was a delicious fish pie, served in a similar manner to the outbound flight, and was excellent.

We had a lengthy taxi in LHR, and were on stand at approx 3.30pm. This left a tight timeframe for the onward flight to Dublin (scheduled for 4.00pm) but were confident of making it, especially as were parked beside the BMI UK departure area.

However, as we were on an international flight, we had to be bussed to flight connections, and the plane was unloaded from the rear, thus making us almost the last off. I was about to ask the dispatcher about the onward flight, but he simply raised his hand and gestured to us to await the following coach. Luckily there was no delay at flight connection, and we made our way promptly to gate 8 where our flight was scheduled to depart.

However it was almost 4.00pm by now, and I decided to ask at the BMI lounge about the actual departure time. Amazingly, this was one of the few flights to be ontime, and despite an enquiry from the lounge staff, the flight had closed.

Peter, in the lounge was very helpful and arranged for us to be transferred to the next flight to Dublin. However, this was not until 8.05pm which left almost 4 hours to kill.

Lounge Heathrow

The Great British Lounge is very big with plenty of natural light. However as it was after dark, the lighting was very pleasant and relaxing.

The food is soup, rolls, cheese, crackers, biscuits, crisps, nuts, good quality cheesecake and gateaux. I particularly like the jars of old fashioned sweets, always brings me back to my childhood!! There is a full bar service.

Boarding

Unusually the Dublin bound flight boarded at gate 78, and quite a walk from the lounge.

Boarding was by rows, and was quite efficient. As with Dublin, there was a dedicated economy flexible/Diamond Club Silver & Gold cardholder lane.

The Cabin crew were very welcoming indeed. Given the uncertainty surrounding the future ownership of BMI, this is a testament to the professionalism of BMI crew who will be an undoubted asset to the eventual owners of the airline.

This Airbus 320 was configured in full economy mode, all seats 3-3. The first 3 rows were reserved for economy flexible. Seats were in the newer BMI brown colour, and very attractive. As we had chosen row 1, the bulkhead ensured that we didn’t have a seatback too close to our faces.

After a welcome announcement from the Captain, the cabin crew gave a safety demonstration.

We pushed back shortly after our scheduled time of 8.05pm, and were airborne shortly afterwards.

Catering consisted of a hot wrap which was quite tasty.

Arrival at Dublin was shortly after 9.20pm and we were on stand shortly afterwards. Passport control was very swift and a short walk to the baggage hall where we had to wait almost 15 minutes before the first bags appeared on the belt. I was pleased to find that ours (with Priority tags) were amongst the first delivered.

We were less pleased to discover the lock broken, so a quick check was in order. We were horrified to find a strong smell of alcohol coming from the case. We had nothing like that in the case, so obviously something had been spilt on the case, and had leaked through to stain a number of our clothes, including some items bought as gifts for our grand-children.

We reported the damage to Servisair (BMI’s handling agent) and were given a file number and asked to telephone in the morning. This I did, and discovered that the handling agents do not deal with damage such as ours, and referred us to BMI.

After an afternoon of fruitless calls, I finally found a very helpful gentleman at BMI’s customer service at Head Office: he also was called Peter!. His advice was invaluable and thanks to Peter, my issues are being resolved.

Conclusion

A very mixed experience. BMI lounge staff and cabin crew are excellent, as was the service on board all four flights.

Nobody can blame the airline for the delays which occurred on the return flights, but we felt a greater effort could have been made to assist us make our original flight to Dublin. My experience with the handling agents and call centre staff was unacceptable, and were it not for my persistence, I would not have been so fortunate to achieve a resolution.

MichaelKerr flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A321-200 (2-Class) (18/11/2011 04:56)

I travel on the Heathrow/Baku or Baku/Heathrow once a month.

The flights hardly ever take off on time but waiting in the BMI lounge is very pleasant. The food and drink is plentiful and of decent quality.
The seats have recently been re-upholstered in leather and are quite comfortable, the flight can take up to six hours so they need to be.
BMI have no idea about getting the right amount of meals for business class. The only way to get what you want is to sit in the first three rows. Otherwise its take whats left, a few times I have had the economy meal selection and once a crew meal.

The cabin crew are usually great and keep the refreshments flowing without need for prompting.

The entertainment system is archaic to say the least. Better to take a laptop or tablet.

kevgaratt flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A321-200 (29/06/2010 17:12)

BMI staff at check in at a hang up about excess baggage. She refused to check in our hand luggage despite the fact that our suitcase was only 12 Kg and the hand baggage came to only 7 Kg

marklhr flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A321-200 (24/04/2010 07:23)

LHR-CAI. Very good flight. Business class config is good for medium haul. entertainment system pretty antiquated- not on demand and choice of 5 channels.

On board service excellent and attentive. All drinks/food brought from galley on trays- no trolleys in the cabin. Brunch was served - fresh fruit and pastries, then chicken escalope with fresh tomato/herb sauce and lemon mousee. Plenty of drinks runs throughout the flight. Convenient flight times. WOuld definitely recommend.

PatJordan flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A319-100 (2-Class) (14/01/2010 16:59)

BD120 Dub-LHR. I had checked in on line the previous day and was pleased to note that as well as being able to check-in on line 24 hours before my outward flight, I was now able to check in for my same day return, even though it was well outside the 24 hour timeframe. A small thing but it meant only one visit to the laptop and printer.

The BMI louge in Dublin is quite close to the B Pier where most of their flights depart. There is a good range of newspapers and magazines, with a small range of snacks and plenty of drinks on offer.

Boarding was by row number with an invitation to business class and gold & silver Diamond Club members to board at their leisure. A nice touch.

Just when boarding was completed(about 8.20am) the Captain emerged from the cockpit and announced that we would be delayed till 11.00am due to snow at Heathrow. During the long wait the flight & cabin crews spoke to many passengers and put many passengers' minds (worried about onward connections) at rest. Drinks were offered and the excellent BMI staff made a long delay as painless as possible.

Breakfast was offered whilst on the ground at 10.00am and was very welcome indeed. Not having to wait to be airborne was a welcome thought.

The cabin is configured 3-3 in both classes with blue leather seat facings. It was very pleasant and well cleaned.

I had selected 1A having been pre assigned 1F. I sometimes find DEF seats can be a bit tight if all three are occupied.

Overall this was an unusual flight havng to spend almost 4 hours on board for what normally takes just over one hour. However the flght and cabin crews did so much to make the situation bearable: well done all.

PatJordan flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A319-100 (2-Class) (14/01/2010 16:40)

PatJordan flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A321-200 (20/12/2009 00:17)

DUB-LHR-DUB Dec 2009. When checking on line I noticed that the boarding passes were a new format and when printed, looked very slightly blurred. When I approached the security area in Dublin, the machine was unable to read the barcode. The BMI ticket desk is only a short waly away and a very helpful gentleman issues both boarding passes with apologies for the delay. I returned to the business boarding area at Dublin and was through within seconds. At busy times, this is a boon.

The BMI lounge is located midway along the shopping area and close to the B pier (from which most BMI flights depart.

Boarding was on time and while pax are caled by row numbers, Business and Diamond Club Gold vard holders may board at leisure. As I like row 1, I often board early to ensure space in the overhead cabins (all hane luggage must be stowed when In row 1. Luckily there is a wardrobe available for coats/jackets, and this frees up some space in the overhead bins as well as avoiding wrinkled jackets!

The business cabin on most UK/IRL BMI Airbus 200 series is 3-2 configuration. This often estends a couple of rows into economy cabin and these seats are often allocated to Diamond Club members; a welcme bonus when flying economy.

Sometimes BMI use former BMED aircraft on the Dublin London route. These have a 2-2 business configuration and the seats are huge with an enhanced pitch.

Business service offers a cooked breakfast with warm breads. The orange juice served is of a very high quality and when mixed with a glass of Champagne (Cattier of Charles Laffite) makes for an excellent follow up to breakfast.

Cabin crew are invariably friendly and most obliging.

Arrival at LHR entails the usual trek from T1 to arrivals which is longer than usual as the moving walkways are closed for maintenance.

Returning from LHR the security at T1 is very efficient, and within a few minutes one is free to explore the excellent range of shopping on offer. The BMI lounge is being refurbished and only the ground floor is operational. There is a good range of magazines and newspapers on offer with plenty of nibbles and drinks to choose from. It is a fair walk from the lounge to the boarding gate and this is BMI's sole disadvantage compared to Aer Lingus at LHR (their lounge is adjacent to the gates).

The service from LHR is identical to that from Dublin, save for the meal being (in this case) beef with potatoes and vegatables.

Arriving at Dublin is usually at theB pier which is a short walk to passport control and baggage collectio.

Business return fares are on the region of 450 Euro, but is is very possible to secure an economy return for well under 100euro.

All told I consider BMI to offer the bst of both worlds. A very good business product with a keenly priced economy service..

PatJordan flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A321-200 (20/12/2009 00:17)

DUB-LHR-DUB Dec 2009. When checking on line I noticed that the boarding passes were a new format and when printed, looked very slightly blurred. When I approached the security area in Dublin, the machine was unable to read the barcode. The BMI ticket desk is only a short waly away and a very helpful gentleman issues both boarding passes with apologies for the delay. I returned to the business boarding area at Dublin and was through within seconds. At busy times, this is a boon.

The BMI lounge is located midway along the shopping area and close to the B pier (from which most BMI flights depart.

Boarding was on time and while pax are caled by row numbers, Business and Diamond Club Gold vard holders may board at leisure. As I like row 1, I often board early to ensure space in the overhead cabins (all hane luggage must be stowed when In row 1. Luckily there is a wardrobe available for coats/jackets, and this frees up some space in the overhead bins as well as avoiding wrinkled jackets!

The business cabin on most UK/IRL BMI Airbus 200 series is 3-2 configuration. This often estends a couple of rows into economy cabin and these seats are often allocated to Diamond Club members; a welcme bonus when flying economy.

Sometimes BMI use former BMED aircraft on the Dublin London route. These have a 2-2 business configuration and the seats are huge with an enhanced pitch.

Business service offers a cooked breakfast with warm breads. The orange juice served is of a very high quality and when mixed with a glass of Champagne (Cattier of Charles Laffite) makes for an excellent follow up to breakfast.

Cabin crew are invariably friendly and most obliging.

Arrival at LHR entails the usual trek from T1 to arrivals which is longer than usual as the moving walkways are closed for maintenance.

Returning from LHR the security at T1 is very efficient, and within a few minutes one is free to explore the excellent range of shopping on offer. The BMI lounge is being refurbished and only the ground floor is operational. There is a good range of magazines and newspapers on offer with plenty of nibbles and drinks to choose from. It is a fair walk from the lounge to the boarding gate and this is BMI's sole disadvantage compared to Aer Lingus at LHR (their lounge is adjacent to the gates).

The service from LHR is identical to that from Dublin, save for the meal being (in this case) beef with potatoes and vegatables.

Arriving at Dublin is usually at theB pier which is a short walk to passport control and baggage collectio.

Business return fares are on the region of 450 Euro, but is is very possible to secure an economy return for well under 100euro.

All told I consider BMI to offer the bst of both worlds. A very good business product with a keenly priced economy service..

PatJordan flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A319-100 (2-Class) (30/03/2009 20:53)

LHR - DUB March 2009

Business cabin is cinfigured 2-3 giving plenty of width. Seat pitch however is a little tight, so I would recommend row 1 as the bulkhead is far enough away not to impede leg room.

1C is possibly the best seat on the plane as the wardrobe is in front of and slightly to the left of one, thus giving massive space in front of one.

PatJordan flew bmi Business (short haul) (21/03/2009 13:18)

DUB-LHR Feb 2009. The business cabin in most BMI cross channel flights is configured 2-3. I had seat 2A which meant that there was ample space beside me, even if 2C had been occupied.

The seats are finished in leather and are quite comfortable.

The morning service is very good: choice of fresh breads, good cooked breakfast and coffee which seems freshly ground: one of the best cups I have had for a long time. I asked the (very friendly) flight attendant if I could have a glass of champagne, and she was only too happy to oblige, even suggesting I had it with orange juice.

This was a very comfortable flight; seat was excellent as was the service.

wpcardiff flew bmi Business (short haul), on a A320-200 (09/11/2008 18:52)

I travel frequently on this aircraft and the A321 on the London - Dublin route always in business class. It has got to be the greatest insult to full fare business passengers in existence. The seats are cramped in the extreme and BMI persist in using the middle seat on one side if the aircraft thereby making an uncomfortable journey even more unpleasant should you be unlucky enough to be sitting on that side . The food in a box is only on a par with a charter airline and the whole experience is an unsatisfactory and very expensive proposition. I might add that this level of service is not related to the current econoic climate but has been the case for a number of years. I have to say the mid haul 2-2 configuration is superb but I wish BMI would take a look at some of their Star partners and see the service they manage to provide on their short haul sectors