BMI HAS UNVEILED a raft of initiatives aimed at increasing its share of the corporate travel market. Last month saw the introduction of complimentary chauffeur-drive transfers for Business Class passengers travelling on selected fares to Moscow and Saudi Arabia, and which is to be extended to Tel Aviv, Cairo, Beirut, Amman and Kiev this spring. It will also be offered as an additional cost option for other travellers.
Additionally, the airline has upgraded its international executive lounge at Heathrow with the addition of shower facilities and pre-flight dining for overnight departures, and is currently expanding its premium check-in area. The carrier is also claiming to be the first UK airline to offer totally paperless boarding and mobile check-in on all domestic routes from London Heathrow. "In the next month or two we will be looking at whether it can be extended to European routes and then rolled out internationally," says Katherine Gershon, bmi's sales and marketing director.
Passengers can either check in online or by mobile up to 24 hours prior to departure, choose their seat and have their boarding pass delivered electronically to their mobile phone or PDA as an MMS, thus avoiding check-in queues and saving valuable travel time.
Also, from the end of March, bmi is adding a second daily departure on the Tel Aviv route launched last year, and is planning a new service to Kiev.