brussels airlines to New York!

[RoMax]

can't wait to watch SN A330-200 to/at JFK, joining the entire world on that particular airport again.

Not so minimalistic...it will be an A333

[Flanker]

Again I'm happy that someone working for SN, is actively on this forum to respond in a proper way.

On the other hand, I find it a waste of resources as indicated by the following post.

They tried the famous Greek Cure...austerity,sometimes,when you go to the B Terminal,you cannot find any Bruair Staff...but in the B house,plenty of managers are having a coffee!!!

Before you misunderstand it social media manager, I'm not judging you, you're just doing your job.
I just find it sad that SN is paying someone to read and reply on Facebook and Twitter and luchtzak while they have a shortage of staff in more important area's of operations that have a direct and much larger impact to the financials and operations.

I don't see the point of investing so much in communication through social media for an airline.
Instead of having one guy wasting his time on luchtzak.be, they could hire an additional programmer who would detect and repair the issues on their website. That would effectively stimulate sales or reduce the financial impact of errors.

[airazurxtror]

Instead of having one guy wasting his time on luchtzak.be, they could hire an additional programmer who would detect and repair the issues on their website.

The Brussels Airlines website is an absolute farce.
I have tried it again and it's the same : for instance, try to book one of those 99 euros flights in promotion, and you'll end up completely exasperated - and more often than not : without a reservation !
They know it - if only because it has been told here time and again - and they don't do anything about it. Why ? I can only think of three reasons:
- they are unable to correct it - incompetence
- they don't care - sluggishness
- they do it on purpose : sabotage

Now, I am aware that I am no PC genius, but the fact is that I can easily find my way in the other airlines websites ...

[Inquirer]

try to book one of those 99 euros flights in promotion, and you'll end up completely exasperated - and more often than not : without a reservation!

Having had some issues with the website in the past myself, I just wasted some free time trying your suggestion and although I am not a PC genius either, I have no problem finding tickets for 99 euro?

FWIW, I just go to the home page, click on the cheapest flights tab, select a route (for instance LYON), after which I get a grid with the lowest fares on each day, the lowest fare ones in red...

Before you feel attacked: I am not saying you are just inventing problems, just saying I don't see the issue you may have, other than that they don't have flights for €99 return on every single day and defininitely not on flights in the near future, which is quite normal?

BTW, does all this still qualify for posting under this topic?
I mean: it has nothing to do with a JFK flight... Maybe someone should create a new topic?

Anybody has on topic information on loads and if any personalities will be present to inaugurate the first flight to JFK or if other things are planned to accompany the launch? Previously, somebody mentioned new uniforms for cabin crew, but I haven't read anything about this?

[airazurxtror]

As I suspected, I am not bright enough to book on Brussels Airlines ...
Fortunately, most of the other airlines keep their website fit to use by stupid people like me - otherwise, I would have to stay home !
(Actually, one can do quite nicely without Brussels Airlines).

[Duke]

According th FlightRadar, both OO-SFM and OO-SFV (the A333's with the refurbished interior) are in Malta right now...
They'll have to return soon if they want to be in time for the start of the operations...
OO-SFM has been there for about one month if my info is right? Does the cabin refurbishment take that long?
Why did OO-SFV fly back to Malta (I thought it was already refurbished?)
Which one is the next one to go to Malta?

Regards,

Duke

[pijaleu]

According th FlightRadar, both OO-SFM and OO-SFV (the A333's with the refurbished interior) are in Malta right now...
They'll have to return soon if they want to be in time for the start of the operations...

OO-SFM is coming back today at (STA) 15.45, so well in time for JFK-flights.
Didn't OO-SFV return yesterday?

[HighInTheSky]

According th FlightRadar, both OO-SFM and OO-SFV (the A333's with the refurbished interior) are in Malta right now...
They'll have to return soon if they want to be in time for the start of the operations...

OO-SFM is coming back today at (STA) 15.45, so well in time for JFK-flights.
Didn't OO-SFV return yesterday?

OO-SFM will return to service any day now. OO-SFV will recieve the new interior the next weeks/month.

[tolipanebas]

Why did OO-SFV fly back to Malta (I thought it was already refurbished?)

You are confused: OO-SFW was the first A333 to get the new cabin.

[tolipanebas]

Anybody has on topic information on loads and if any personalities will be present to inaugurate the first flight to JFK or if other things are planned to accompany the launch? Previously, somebody mentioned new uniforms for cabin crew, but I haven't read anything about this?

Bookings are above target for the entire summer and indeed, there will be a remarkable uniform change... Come and see in 9 days.

[Bralo20]

United codeshares are loaded into the system for SN501/2:

BRU-JFK: UA9928
JFK-BRU: UA9929

EFF: 27JUN2012

And it seems UA is a bit cheaper:

Departure 01JUL2012
Return: 10JUL2012

Economy:

SN price: 1.118 EUR
UA price: 958 EUR

But in Business it's the other way:

SN price: 1.598 EUR
UA price: 2.007 EUR
Both all in...

[me109]

I miss the time that Sabena's 747 were landing coming from NY and other us cities

where are the good old days ?

[RoMax]

As I suspected, I am not bright enough to book on Brussels Airlines ...
Fortunately, most of the other airlines keep their website fit to use by stupid people like me - otherwise, I would have to stay home !
(Actually, one can do quite nicely without Brussels Airlines).

I agree it's not 'nice' of them that it's so difficult to find these prices on the dates you want to travel. But they don't claim that these prices are available on all tickets.
Ok, it's not such a nice business, but this is just advertisement. And honnestly I found a lot of airlines with exactly the same kind of promotion business.
To give a close exemple...I also have difficulties to find the few euro tickets that RYR often promises on their homepage when you open their website...
What I often do when booking tickets, go to SN's website, click all promotions, I go to early booker deals there you get some destinations with prices of 69 euro everything included. For these destinations, at least 5 months before you travel and subject to availability (not difficult to read these things on that page). Well it's quite easy to find these tickets, recently I searched for Barcelona (for family of mine) and I even ended up with a ticket for 'just' 60 euro
For the all year round fares you are correct that it's more difficult (but not impossible) to find these tickets. But don't blame SN, blame the industry (and not just the airline industry...).

[RoMax]

Now, back on topic:

An exemple of SN's promotion of the NYC flights in Africa (Uganda in this case):
http://www.guide2uganda.com/news/565/Brussels-Airlines-and-Sanyu-FM-promote-New-York-flights

[OO-ITR]

As I suspected, I am not bright enough to book on Brussels Airlines ...
Fortunately, most of the other airlines keep their website fit to use by stupid people like me - otherwise, I would have to stay home !
(Actually, one can do quite nicely without Brussels Airlines).

You booking on brussels airlines??? that would be a first

[convair]

Surprise surprise! Here they are Airazurxtror and OO-ITR in their Battle of the Bulge(an airlines) fighting on every front and topic.

Back to the topic: Tolipanebas gave an encouraging piece of information on the summer bookings. Let's hope the coming months (specially the winter season) will confirm that!

Now, we were told that the NYC flight was set up mostly in order to maximize trafic between the US and Africa (on SN of course). For the african traveler, wouldn't the next step be a non-stop flight NYC to, say, Kinshasa? And I assume SN would not be allowed to operate such route...(even in code-share with Korongo? and btw how are they doing?).

However, given the important "colony" ( ) of people from congolese origin in Brussels (not only in Matonge), some of these customers probably don't mind a stopover in BRU.

Hence my question: does SN allow a stopover of several days in BRU for the "normal" fare of the NYC-FIH ticket?

[RoMax]

Now, we were told that the NYC flight was set up mostly in order to maximize trafic between the US and Africa (on SN of course). For the african traveler, wouldn't the next step be a non-stop flight NYC to, say, Kinshasa? And I assume SN would not be allowed to operate such route...(even in code-share with Korongo? and btw how are they doing?).

Korongo eventually going long haul itself?

[tolipanebas]

For the african traveler, wouldn't the next step be a non-stop flight NYC to, say, Kinshasa?

Theoretically yes, but the US has something similar to the EU blacklist too you know?

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) established the International Aviation Safety Assessments Program (in short: IASA) through public policy in August of 1992. Under this program, the FAA focuses on a country's ability to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Basically, the FAA audits and divides all countries in the world into 2 categories:
category 1 whose carriers may serve the US
category 2, whose carriers may not serve the US (unless they are already serving US destinations, in which case they may be permitted to continue those operations at current levels under heightened FAA surveillance. Expansion or changes in services are not permitted.)

Now, do I need to spell out in which category the key African destinations of SN fall?

[Homo Aeroportus]

Now, do I need to spell out in which category the key African destinations of SN fall?

You're right indeed Tolip, but maybe there is hope.

There are 12 African countries in the current FAA IASA list.
6 are indeed in Cat 2 :
Cote d'Ivoire,
DRC,
Gambia (but I don't see Senegal)
Ghana,
Swaziland
Zimbabwe.

But there are also 6 countries in Cat 1 :
Cape Verde,
Egypt
Ethiopia,
Morocco,
Nigeria
South Africa.

BTW, Israel is still in Cat 2.


H.A.

[convair]

Thank you both for these explanations. But what about a US carrier flying NYC-FIH then? Delta flies to Dakar and (I just checked) a non-stop return NYC-Dakar-NYC is cheaper than with a stop at CDG!
Btw, these business class return via CDG fetch a minimum of $ 8,000 and as high as $ 10,000 , and I didn't do a thorough check.