Back in September, we published a warning about Low-Cost Carriers: A sluggish winter season? At the time, there was no mention of bmibaby, but on Wednesday Reuters report: "low-cost airline BMI Baby, part of the BMI Group, [...] said it would to cut up to 158 jobs and reduce the number of routes it flies due to the ongoing impact of the economic downturn".

The airline, owned by German carrier Lufthansa, said 54 pilot and 82 cabin crew positions at Britain's Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff airports were "at risk of redundancy", as were an additional 22 management and support positions at its head office and at other airport bases.

Bmibaby also announced that it was reducing the number of aircraft in its fleet from 17 to 12 next year.

But bmibaby did say that the restructuring would lead to additional services at East Midlands Airport next year and the creation of 10 pilot and 15 cabin crew positions.

The Press Association quoted Bmibaby managing director Crawford Rix saying: "Since our launch we have established ourselves as a leading player in the low-cost airline market. However, the aviation industry is facing its toughest time ever. It is experiencing record losses and remedial action has to be taken. We are no exception to this."

BMI Baby, which recently scrapped services from Manchester to Alicante and Malaga in Spain, did not say how many other routes would go but said it would "focus on routes and services that we believe are the best fit for our business".

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For more information, please see source:
158 jobs at risk in airline revamp
UK budget carrier BMI Baby to cut jobs and routes

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