After the despicable stepping in of British Midlands Airways (BMI) to fly out Babi Badalov by force after Azerbaijan Airline bowed to pressure not to do it, South Wales No Borders have called for sustained action against BMI. In their leaflet [attachment=19] they say, “On the 20th October let?s hit BMI with everything we?ve got! Then let?s do this on the 20th of every month until BMI see sense.”
“BMI Babi – the airline with a tiny heart”
Read more for full text of the South Wales leaflet including contacts for BMI, and all other airports they operate from. BMI Baby operate from East Midlands airport. Please contact No Borders Nottingham if you wish to campaign against deportation flights.
Shut down BMI day – starting 20th October
After the despicable stepping in of British Midlands Airways (BMI) to fly out Babi Badalov by force after Azerbaijan Airline bowed to pressure not to do it, South Wales No Borders have called for sustained action against BMI. In their leaflet [attachment=19] they say, “On the 20th October let?s hit BMI with everything we?ve got! Then let?s do this on the 20th of every month until BMI see sense.” Please contact No Borders Nottingham if you wish to campaign on this. BMI Baby operate from East Midlands airport. We have renamed this airline“BMI Babi – the airline with a tiny heart”. You can e-mail BMI Chief Executive Officer Nigel Turner at: Nigel.Turner@flybmi.com
Text of leaflet [attachment=19] by South Wales No Borders:
In 2007 the UK government deported 63,140 migrants. Airline companies are a key link in the deportation industry. Without them it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for the state to implement this aspect of the migration regime and there can be no migration controls without deportations.
People who are being deported are often handcuffed on the flight and there have been a number reports of physical assaults on deportees by the security personnel who escort them.
On 20th September 2008, No Borders South Wales activist Babi Badalov was deported on a BMI flight to Azerbaijan, where has experienced physical abuse and state persecution. Despite hundreds of telephone calls, emails and faxes to BMI raising objections to the removal, BMI chose to ignore this and ensured the deportation took place.
BMI is the UK?s second largest full service airline with reported profits of £15.5 million in 2007. The airline is responsible for carrying migrants who are being deported from the UK against their will by the British Government.
BMI employees told those ringing on the day that BMI could not refuse to fly Babi and it was out of their control. However, other airlines have refused to fly deportees in the past including XL Airways who announced in 2007 that they would no longer carry failed asylum-seekers who were being forcibly removed from the UK.
BMI must be made aware of the impact of their actions on the lives of the people they deport and how their image and business will be affected if they continue this practice. We need to let them know that they can not take part in such activities without consequences.
No Borders South Wales are calling for a sustained campaign against BMI. We call on BMI to no longer take part in the forced deportation of migrants.
Contact BMI and register your disapproval at their role in deporting people back to places they do not wish to go back to, for whatever the reason this may be. Urge BMI to follow the other airlines who have taken an ethical stance and who refuse to carry out any more deportations.
On the 20th October let?s hit BMI with everything we?ve got! Then let?s do this on the 20th of every month until BMI see sense.
BMI Contact Details
Head office: Donington Hall, Castle Donington, Derby. DE74 2SB
E-mail BMI Chief Executive Officer Nigel Turner at: Nigel.Turner@flybmi.com
Switchboard
Telephone: 01332 854000
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm
Customer Relations
Tel: 01332 854321
Fax: 01332 854875
Opening hours: Mon- Fri 9.30am- 4.30pm
Reservations and general enquiries
Telephone: 01332 854854 & 01332 648181
Fax: 01709 314993
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 7am to 9pm
Group reservations
Telephone: 01332 854500
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 9am to 5.30pm
Baggage claims
Telephone: 0115 8517005
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 8am to 8pm
Highflyers
Telephone: 01332 854454
Fax: 01332 854238
Special assistance
Telephone: 0131 3445600
Textphone for the deaf: 01332 854015
Opening hours Mon to Sun 7am to 9pm
Diamond Club enquiries and reservations
Telephone: 01332 854274
Fax: 01623 724099
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm
Refunds
Telephone 01332 854534
Opening hours Mon to Fri 9am to 3.30pm
Technical Support (online booking queries)
Telephone: 01509 686628
Opening hours: Mon to Sat 8am to 7pm, Sun
8am to 8pm
Charter Department
Telephone: 01332 854656
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm
Bmi baby reservations
Telephone: 01332 648181
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 8am to 8pm
BMI flights operate from the following UK Airports:
Aberdeen, Belfast (City), Birmingham, Bristol, Durham Tees Valley, East Midlands, Edinburgh,
Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds Bradford, London City, London Gatwick, London Heathrow,
Manchester, Newcastle International, Norwich
No Borders South Wales is a collective of people who organise
against migration controls and for the freedom of movement for all.
We work on a non-hierarchical, anti-authoritarian basis, using
consensus decision making. noborderswales.org.uk