bmi regional: Munich to be biggest base in summer 2016 as growth-fuelled transformation continues

bmi regional is launching four new routes from Munich, doubling the number of routes that it operates there and making the airport its biggest base this summer. This is part of an ongoing transformation of bmi regional, which will become Germany's number three commuter/regional airline by seats, in addition to holding the same position in the UK.

For a small airline, bmi regional is handling quite radical change. Half of its 22 routes this summer are new since early 2015. After bmi's capacity cut and trimming of the network in 2014, 2016 will be the airline's second successive year of double-digit growth, data from OAG suggest. Its network has changed greatly since its years as a Lufthansa-owned Star hub feeder, although it retains important codeshare relationships with Lufthansa.

In Apr-2015 bmi regional was acquired by Airline Investments Limited, which also owns the Scotland-based regional airline Loganair. Bmi's results for the financial year to Mar-2016, its first under this new owner, are not yet available, but the airline did manage to narrow its loss in the previous year. Analysis of bmi regional's financial progress will be the subject of a future CAPA report, while this one focuses on its route network.