Bmi puts £3.2m brief out to pitch

Bmi british midland (bmi) is dropping Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) from its &£3.24m advertising account and putting the work up for review. This is the end of bmi’s three-year relationship with the agency, which scooped the account from Faulds Advertising in 1999 and has declined to repitch for the business.

The review, which is being overseen by the AAR, does not affect bmi baby. The company expects to reach a decision within eight weeks.

The decision, which follows the overhaul of the airline company’s fares system, does not affect media planning and buying handled by PHD.

Bmi british midland has scrapped its traditional full-service fare system and introduced one-way fares, similar to those used by low-cost carriers. The move heralds lower fares for both domestic and European passengers travelling to and from the UK – particularly London Heathrow, the airline’s main operating base.

Earlier this year, the airline appointed Partners BDDH to handle the &£5m advertising launch of its new low-cost carrier bmi baby (MW January 17). The airline, which launched on March 23, flies out of bmi’s East Midlands Airport base and operates separately from the parent company. The launch of bmi baby was bmi british midland’s answer to increasing competition from low-cost carriers on the domestic and continental routes, which constitute the bulk of its business.