bmi launches new Irish services to Birmingham

Budget airline bmibaby today revealed details of its plans to open a new base at Birmingham International Airport – with one-way fares from just 4p - and with new services to Knock and Belfast.

The no-frills operator said it would begin services to nine new European routes from the airport in January – to Alicante, Malaga, Palma, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Geneva and Prague, along with Belfast and Knock.

Seats for the new services went on sale at 11am at bmibaby.com with a pledge to donate £1 (€1.51) from every booking made from Birmingham today to the city’s children’s hospital.

Bmibaby said a limited number of special rate tickets from Birmingham were being sold for just 4p, excluding taxes and other charges (around £8 (€12) on the cheapest route), on its routes within the UK and Ireland.

The firm will base its first three aircraft at the airport from January 7, operating more than 100 flights per week throughout the winter.

The airline’s managing director, Tony Davis, said: “Bmibaby has grown at an unbelievable pace over the past 28 months since services began."

Once the 4p seats have sold out, bmibaby internet fares from Birmingham will start from £14.99 (€22.68) one-way, including taxes and charges, on UK and Ireland routes.