80 Aberdeen Jobs Under Threat At Regional Airline
Around 80 Aberdeen jobs are at risk at airline BMI Regional with the owner announcing plans to switch engineering facilities to Bristol.
It would mean Loganair would take over the current bmi regional hangar at Aberdeen Airport.
BMI says it's also moving all its headquarters to one base at East Midlands, after years of it being split between there and the Granite City.
Airline Investments Limited (AIL) is proposing to acquire hangar space at Bristol Airport for bmi regional jets. Loganair would take over the current bmi regional hangar at Aberdeen Airport for its fleet to underpin the sustainable development of both carriers within their core home markets.
Peter Simpson, Group CEO of AIL, said: “These proposed changes within the Group enhance both sister airlines and offer natural efficiencies and economies of scale that will strengthen both carriers within their home markets. They provide additional infrastructure to continue delivering the highest operational standards.
“Bristol Airport, a hub that has invested £120million in expansion over the past five years, continues to offer bmi regional the necessary capacity for potential future growth.
“By dedicating hangar space and expanding other services there, and by dedicating hangar space to Loganair in Aberdeen, we will continue to maximise growth opportunities and strengthen our presence in established markets.
“bmi regional has seen eight new routes launch out of Bristol, with three this year: Paris Charles de Gaulle with better timings for business travel than easyJet; Dusseldorf; and Nantes. In 2012, the airline had no crew based at Bristol Airport but announced staff figures of 80 in 2014 with a plan to increase this number by 30%. The engineering facilities move is a natural step for the airline."
Simpson added "We've rebuilt our infrastructure and systems and reshaped our operating network to focus on profitable routes which enables us to continue our growth into 2016 and beyond. We will provide updates as soon as we have more information on these proposals.
“Loganair has expanded its aircraft presence at Aberdeen, It is therefore important that appropriate infrastructure is in place to ensure we can deliver operational reliability for these expanded operations. Today’s announcement will have no impact on Loganair staff, routes or frequency.
"All options will be explored through consultation to minimize impact on positions, but it is possible that an estimated 80 Aberdeen-based roles may be affected as a result of the proposals outlined today. The bmi pilot and cabin crew base at Aberdeen, together with the scheduled service’s to Bristol, Esbjerg, Norwich and Oslo are unaffected by this announcement.
“We recognise that this is an unsettling period for colleagues and options will certainly include locational redeployment. The business will offer support throughout the process while implementing this strategic reorganisation which will ensure that bmi regional is able to continue to develop its presence in key UK and European markets,” said Mr Simpson.