Bmi to terminate London-Tel Aviv route

Bmi to terminate London-

By SHARON WROBEL
British Midland Airways will stop operating flights between London and Tel Aviv starting in January due to "unprecedented market conditions," the airline announced Wednesday. "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience the route suspensions will cause our customers and would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have supported us on these routes for their loyalty and business," the airline said said in a press statement. British Midland Airways, which is known as bmi, is the UK's second-largest airline at London's Heathrow Airport. Following this year's takeover by Germany's Lufthansa Airlines, a restructuring program is being implemented that will suspend some routes to help the airline return to profitability, bmi said. Bmi will operate the last flight from London to Tel Aviv on January 9 and terminate the route on January 10 with the last flight from Tel Aviv to London. Bmi began flying daily flights between London and Tel Aviv in March 2008, becoming the second British carrier to fly that route, after British Airways. Price competition on the route has been heightened by the recent launch of cheap flights by no-frills airline Easyjet and discounted ticket fares by El Al to London airports. Bmi plans to stop other routes from Heathrow, including Brussels from January 9, Kiev from January 10, Aleppo from January 10 and Amsterdam from March 27. "Going forward, the airline will focus on routes serving oil, energy and emerging markets, with a particular focus on business-class customers and those visiting friends and relatives," bmi said.