Low-cost airline bmibaby has announced a number of job and fleet cuts.

Low cost airline bmibaby has announced it is to cut 158 jobs and reduce its number of aircraft in a restructuring programme.

According to the airline, 54 pilot and 82 cabin crew positions at Birmingham, Cardiff and Manchester are at risk of redundancy. Its fleet could be reduced from 17 to 12 next year.

bmi plans to consolidate its operations at East Midlands Airport – with three new aircraft, eight new European routes, and an increased number of flights – so more jobs will become available at that location.

Crawford Rix, Managing Director of bmibaby, said: “The aviation industry is facing its toughest time ever – it is experiencing record losses and remedial action has to be taken. bmibaby is no exception to this. We have to focus our efforts and activities on routes and services that we believe are the best fit for our business.

“We believe that having identified and by concentrating on the core business areas and reinforcing our efforts, we can ensure that bmibaby continues to provide its customers with the best possible competitive fares as well as an attractive range of business and leisure products.”

Brian Boyd, Unite National Officer for Aviation, commented: “Today’s announcement casts further doubt over the whole bmi group as its new owners Lufthansa search for cost savings. Unite members are once again caught at the sharp end of business restructuring. We will now be engaging with bmibaby to ensure that compulsory redundancies are avoided.”

bmibaby is the low-cost subsidiary airline of bmi – the second-largest airline at London’s Heathrow airport.