The second-largest carrier operating out of Scotland’s airports is scrapping business class on some of its key flights to and from London Heathrow and introducing pay-on-board meals in a shake-up aimed at slashing costs.

Business travelers will no longer be able to buy business class seats with bmi on some of its London shuttle flights, and economy passengers will have to pay for food and drinks on board starting in August.

Cabin crew jobs will be cut and fare structures simplified as bmi struggles to cope with aggressive competition from low-fares carriers while raising money for its expensive operations at Heathrow and membership of the worldwide Star Alliance.

The carrier is scrapping business class on all but four of its 17 short-haul Heathrow routes following a six-month review of operations under new chief executive Nigel Turner.

It will now be harder for thousands of Scottish members of the bmi diamond club to earn miles through traditional class-of-service bonuses.

According to Turner, “More than half of our passengers travel on business — but most of them do so in the rear of the aircraft. They or their companies choose to travel in economy.”