UK carrier, bmi regional has strengthened its existing partnership with Brussels Airlines by operating two additional flights for the Belgium carrier within Europe. bmi will introduce flights for the Star Alliance member between its Brussels hub and Strasbourg from December 7, 2015, while it will also operate its new Brussels – Nuremberg link which will launch in February 2016.

The new flying for Brussels Airlines is being made possible by the positioning of one of its Embraer ERJ-145s into the Belgian capital. This aircraft will enable it to offer an improved flight schedule on its existing East Midlands – Brussels route and enable UK business travellers to spend a full day in Brussels and return in the evening, without having to overnight in the city.

This route will continue to be served twice daily on weekdays and once on Sundays and will also permit efficient connections in Brussels to/from Strasbourg, supporting European Parliament traffic flows between the UK, Belgium and France. It will also evolve into a full codeshare service with hugely enhanced connectivity from the UK via Brussels to a network of destinations across Europe, Africa and Asia.

“This signifies a growing presence of bmi regional at Brussels Airport and greater co-operation with Brussels Airlines – a partnership that has gone from strength to strength since the launch of our first codeshare in March 2014 on our Brussels-Newcastle route,” said Jochen Schnadt, Chief Commercial Officer, bmi regional.

bmi regional introduced its own branded flights to Brussels in November 2012 after it gained independence from British Midland International (BMI) following the latter’s acquisition by International Airlines Group (IAG) earlier that year. It initially offered flights to the Belgian capital from East Midlands, Edinburgh and Leeds Bradford, but ended the Leeds link in May 2013 and Edinburgh link in December 2013. It added to the East Midlands link with the service from Newcastle in March 2014.