VLM: new route ANR

[Boeing767copilot]

VLM will start a new route out of ANR. Announcement will come very soon. Any idea about the destination?

[b720]

an AF feeder service into CDG would be BRILLIANT.. or a return to GVA would be great too..

[EBAW_flyer]

The GVA route apparrently sometimes was weight restricted due to the short runway and obstacles in ANR. Also business pax don't like to sit that long in a F50.

[Shanti]

I hope it will be Paris CDG!

[ANR/BRU Spotter]

I hope it will be Paris CDG!

Normally that shouldn't be possible. Every route which can be done by train, ,should e done by train.
And as far as I know, the Thalys is linking Antwerp to CDG.

Grtz, Michiel

[an-148]

And as far as I know, the Thalys is linking Antwerp to CDG.

Grtz, Michiel

sure ?

Thalys links Anwerp with Paris Nord and TGV (the blue/grey one) from CDG links only Brussels Midi and not Antwerp: imho no direct link.

[b720]

Indeed for those living in Antwerp, connecting through CDG is VERY inconvenien.. takes about 2 hours and a half to get to CDG from Antwerp train station;; count 45 min antwerp-bru midi on local train.. add 30 min check in at brussel midi.. add 1:20 train trip.. then you get to CDG and have to stand in line again to check in Luggage.. you need to be at least 1 hour before the flight in CDG.. then you need to take the line for pass. control.. add to that security.. it's 4 hours and you have not boarded your flight yet...
The return is worse... often need to wait at least an hour at the horribly cold train station at CDG.. train make an"unanounced" stop at LILLE (now all trains from CDG stop at Lille) finally you are at BRU midi.. wait another 30 min in the freezing station.. for a local to antwerp..

A flight Antw-CDG will cut the time by at least half.. and reduce the hassle.. check in at antw. luggage included.. security.. at antw.. flight.. arrival in paris at schengen terminal.. brilliant..the same for the return..

[Stij]

A flight Antw-CDG will cut the time by at least half.. and reduce the hassle.. check in at antw. luggage included.. security.. at antw.. flight.. arrival in paris at schengen terminal.. brilliant..the same for the return..

I would LOVE it!!!!

Is there still free parking at ANR?

Cheers,

Stij

[Shanti]

It will be FRANKFURT!!!! 3 flights a day.

[jan_olieslagers]

Wow! That sounds almost like a declaration of war on LH and their soon-to-be Belgian daughter!

[euroflyer]

(1) It could make sense economically, there are some big German companies with production facilities around Antwerp (among them BASF, and their headquarter is not that far from FRA ...)

(2) I cannot see this as a "war" to LH, yes, they might loose some pax who are going today via BRU to Antwerp, but that will not be that many compared to the full number of pax on the FRA-BRU route. And LH will not loose any connecting pax, as there are no (ok, not many) onwards connections from ANR possible . So flying to CDG from ANR could be even worse for LH, as than people could connect easily via ANR-CDG to the "whole world" whereas LH/SN would like to make them flying from BRU to FRA or MUC and connecting there.

(3) It might help LH/SN with the EU Commission, as there is now at least some real competition on the route(s) from FRA to Belgium !! Here comes my question: where does vlm get the slots in FRA from? Three daily flights means probably morning, noon and evening. And it is not THAT easy to get slots in FRA during morning and evening hours as far as I know ... Has LH given them the slots in order to create the necessary competition? Or do they come from AF/KLM, reducing their flights to certain destinations?

[b720]

would be interesting to see whether it would be possible to connect on VLM through FRA on skyteam
airlines flying out of FRA.. E.g. Korean, Delta, SU, CSA, AZ etc.. options out of ANT will grow if that is possible..always easier to fly out of ANT than BRU for those in the Antwerp area..anyhow that is great news.. I hope more destinations will follow..and more airlines.. LX out of Zurich would be great..

[regi]

We had a meeting at Frankfurt city centre.
We left Antwerp by car at 08h15, arrived at noontime at Frankfurt and did our business meeting in the afternoon for some hours. We returned and had no "Stau" at Cologne and were back near Antwerp around 19h00.
This connection is on the verge of being interesting or not for business meetings.
Future will tell.

[euroflyer]

We had a meeting at Frankfurt city centre.
We left Antwerp by car at 08h15, arrived at noontime at Frankfurt and did our business meeting in the afternoon for some hours. We returned and had no "Stau" at Cologne and were back near Antwerp around 19h00.
This connection is on the verge of being interesting or not for business meetings.
Future will tell.

PERFECT, and you spent how many (7, 8 ??) hours of the time your employers pays you for (hopefully for you it is 'enough' ) travelling in a car doing - ??- nothing except for driving the car. This is not really efficient if you ask me. In the plane or (even better if fast enough!!) the train you can at least read texts, prepare presentations, write documents etcetera.

[Atlantis]

Instead of driving 7 to 8 hours a car you should held video conferences. Time and money saving and you can reach the whole world.

[jan_olieslagers]

Who are you to tell other people what they should do? Sure they can make their own decisions?

And also: please remain on topic.

[Established02]

VLM vliegt vanuit Antwerpen op Frankfurt
http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail. ... soverzicht

[LX-LGX]

Who are you to tell other people what they should do? Sure they can make their own decisions?

Atlantis is someone working 24/7 in the aviation business. Are you?

He knows where competition comes from nowadays: video conferences. Sales of business class tickets dropped a first time after Nine Eleven, when (business) people were forced to stay out of planes for safety reasons and/or fear of flying. But sales recovered. Till end of last year, when (business) people were forced again to stay out of planes for budget reasons. Apparently, you are unaware of this.

And also: please remain on topic.

Please leave it for the webmaster or moderator to decide when something is off topic.

[Megaman]

How many flights are there daily at Antwerp and what is the maximum authorized (is there a maximum authorized?)

Can airplanes take off and land over the city?

[regi]

You are right about the driving time which was about 8 hours in total.
But the time it gets you to go to the airport, check in, go through security , landing, going through arrivals, transport towards your contact: you don't work during those hours as well.
We were 3 persons in total so financially it was certainly the best option.
The 2 other persons had lengthy business conversations, a few relaxing phone calls. One opened his laptop but decided he could not work in a car ( or an airplane ) because of concentration.

About working during waiting in a lounge at airports: I remember the Lufthansa business lounge at Düsseldorf where at least 30% of the guys who had their laptop opened were playing "patience" or solitaire. Would their boss know about that? Do you relly need the latest Viao for this?

I am self employed by the way so I make my own calculations. And that is how I came to the conclusion that for me , this flight is just on the verge of being interesting or not.