bmi regional returns to Birmingham Airport with launch of route to Graz

The twice weekly service was welcomed to its new hub at Birmingham Airport by a water arch and was greeted in Graz by a traditional Austrian brass band.

The service, which is the latest development in bmi regional’s ongoing growth strategy to provide connectivity between key regional business destinations in Europe, will operate on Mondays and Fridays initially before increasing to four times weekly from next month.  Fares on the route start from just £99 one way.

Graz is Austria’s second largest city, lying on the River Mur and coincidentally twinned with the Midlands city of Coventry.

Graz was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites in 1999, thanks to its unique landscapes and attractions which include:

• Schlossberg and the Clock Tower which can be ascended by funicular railway.
• Projekt Spielberg – Red Bull’s home of motorsports and the venue of Austria’s F1 race, MotoGP and DTM, to name but a few.  Here visitors can enjoy fine dining, luxury hotels, driving experiences, golf and spa treatments 365 days a year, plus much more for those seeking adrenalin-filled experiences.
• Steirische Weinstrasse: a wine region which is also known as the Austrian Tuscany.
• Thermenregion: a spa area home to nine thermal spas, each offering their own unique take on the healing thermal waters of the area.
• Golf: Graz is home to 10 courses including six 18 hole courses, one of them a championship course.
• Graz is also a superb gateway to some of Austria’s best ski resorts, including Schladming and the Dachstein region.

Graz will be bmi regional’s first destination in Austria.

Jochen Schnadt, Chief Commercial Officer for bmi regional said:

With this new connection between Graz and Birmingham, we are continuing to pursue our strategy of developing tailor-made products for business and leisure travel. We’re optimistic that the implementation of this link between Graz and Birmingham will be a success for our customers and stakeholders alike.

Tom Screen, Head of Aviation Development at Birmingham Airport, said:

We’re delighted with the launch of bmi’s Graz route today.  With Birmingham being the only UK airport offering flights to Graz, we are filling a gap in the market for business and leisure travellers alike to take advantage of a city break in this vibrant destination.  Furthermore we’re excited to welcome bmi regional back to Birmingham and look forward to our passengers enjoying the airline’s excellent service, efficiency and value.

The route is the first of three new destinations offered by bmi regional from Birmingham Airport.  The airline will also be launching routes to Gothenburg and Nuremburg from May 2017, offering passengers from the Midlands exciting opportunities to experience new destinations in 2017.

All fares include complimentary in flight drinks and snacks, 23kg of hold luggage, allocated seating and speedy 30 minute check-ins.

27th February 2017