News: BMI direct versus connecting flights price comparison
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Flights > News > # 2127 (31/03/2009)
BMI operates a host of routes from the UK that no other airline offers.
We wanted to investigate whether BMI’s monopoly on these routes would give them effective licence to charge a hefty premium.
We looked at flight prices for three ‘BMI-only’ routes and compared them with the cheapest one-stop flights option using price comparison website Kayak.co.uk. We searched for flights leaving the UK on April 16, returning to the UK on July 25, and flights leaving the UK on August 1, returning on August 8. All prices are per person and include taxes and charges.
London Heathrow to Aleppo:
April 18 - 23
£643 direct with BMI (journey time 6h 55m)
£298 with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul (journey time 16h 45m)
August 1 – 8
£697 direct with BMI (journey time 6hr 55m)
£560 with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul (journey time 13hr 30m)
London Heathrow to Palma (Majorca):
April 18 - 23
£117 direct with BMI (journey time 2h 25m)
£154 with Iberia via Madrid (journey time 6h 35m)
August 1 – 8
£391 direct with BMI (journey time 2hr 25m)
£221 with Ryanair/Aer Lingus/BA via Edinburgh outbound and Dublin on return leg (journey time 6hr 55m)
Newcastle to Dusseldorf:
April 18 – 23
£158 direct with BMI/Lufthansa
£193 (journey time 1hr 25m) with BA via London Heathrow (journey time 4hr 25m)
August 1 – 8
£190 direct with BMI/Lufthansa (journey time 1hr 25m)
£191 with BA via London Heathrow (journey time 12hr 30m)
Conclusion:
Our research on BMI flight prices for the above three routes shows that there is no set rule about whether you will pay a premium for direct flights. The crucial factor to note when deciding which option to take is the total journey time. Are the savings you can potentially make on your air fare really worth it when you take into account the number of extra hours you’ll have to spend flying or sitting in a crowded airport terminal?
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