Brussels Airlines May '16 traffic figures

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brusselsairlinesfan
Posts: 916
Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 14:44

Brussels Airlines May '16 traffic figures

Post by brusselsairlinesfan »

What do you think about the brussels Airlines may '16 traffic figures, as published below :
https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/brussel ... rowth-may/
Can that be a clear sign for a recovery path?
Whan putting SN figures in perspectives to those of BRU, can we talk about growing market shares at their home base again? What are the current performances of others operators at brussels airport : FR, U2, IB-VY, LH, SK, AZ, UA?

Inquirer
Posts: 2095
Joined: 14 Feb 2012, 14:30

Re: Brussels Airlines May '16 traffic figures

Post by Inquirer »

It's an amazingly quick return to growth and definitely a sign the recovery process is well underway.
Don't forget May was just 40 to 70 days after the terrible events! On this basis, I feel it's safe to conclude the attacks are not going to kill them like was widely predicted here by some, and I can now see why they are confident they will still end 2016 in the black.

Although it was the first full month they were operating from their own hub so to say, they were still faced with significant infrastructural and capacity restrictions, combined with some strikes (although those are getting almost routine), so a big thumbs up to be posting such remarkably 'normal looking' figures.

Apart from just being able to say they attracted more passengers than the same month last year, what is equally remarkable to me (and much more important to judge their operational performance) is that:
-) they were confident enough to put a lot of extra capacity in such an unpredictable market (+7%)
-) they managed to fill all of that extra capacity, and more so even (+7,7%)
thus resulting in a slightly better loadfactor than over the same month last year!!! :shock:

I also notice they are extremely modest in their own appreciation: whereas a 4,2% volume growth has indeed become small beer for them, it's not exactly to be called 'light' either for network airlines in Europe.
It seems they are even a bit too modest from time to time, because their graph shows a .5% loadfactor decrease, whereas it should be an increase.

Will be interesting to see their June figures: they will likely not only post further capacity growth, but from my own observation on my 7 flights, also subsequent volumetric growth vs. last year. The loft was well attended by business travelers each and every time I passed through it, and my flights looked well filled too, so their load factor can not have suffered much either (if at all), just as it didn't in May.

They really are an amazingly resilient airlines!

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