Bid on Brussels International Airport

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Flybe
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Post by Flybe »

People, let's not confuse a few things here. We're not talking about KLM or any other airline, we're talking about airPORTS.

The only real thing i have against AMS is that it is still governmental owned and seems to partially stay that way. A government will always favour employment in their own country, hence rather have additional traffic coming to AMS then BRU. That is the main reason why i'm not in favour of AMS. Give me a completely privatised airport anyday!
Thanks to the Belgian government for all this...
Our government is doing a good thing with the privatisation of BRU. It would happen anyway, and i'm happy that it is finally happening. This battle for the takeover of BRU would have always happened, whenever it would have been privatised. But i do think that the government is also aware of the situation and the different competitors bidding for BRU. As also our government favours high employment in BRU, i'm sure that they will be very carefull at who they sell their shares (without their shares, a 50%+ stake isn't possible) so that future employment will be the least jeopardised. I really don't think that they will go for the quick money and just sell to the highest bidder.
I hope whoever ends up buying BRU, will develop it as a LCC airport.
Bad idea, very bad idea. Many business people come to BRU and are willing to pay more for extra service (extra service that also creates jobs, with BRU as an LCC airport, skychefs would be quickly bancrupt). I sincerely hope that when BRU is privatised, they would make an offer to buy Charleroi and DEVELOP (not break it down) it into a big LCC hub. It has the right distance to Brussels (even closer then some "normal" main airports from other cities). That would spice up things a little bit, i guess:-)

To conclude, based on all this, i'm not really in favour of AMS, more in favour for really privatised airports that have a good knowledge of things (CPH comes to mind, although i'm not sure if they are completely privatised, but i think so). Other investors are also good, like the australian group, but one has to wonder how much "airport-specific" knowledge they have... Do they have the correct skills and the necessary funds for the future investments? Or would BRU become just a stock in their portfolio?

Only future will tell, but with the correct investors, i still think that a nice future lies ahead for BRU! (don't forget that AA seems to be very interested in cooperation with SN in BRU, i even heard rumours (just rumours!) on A.net about possible more connections, e.g. Miami, ...

Greets,

Pieter
Last edited by Flybe on 16 Jun 2004, 19:18, edited 1 time in total.

Lars
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Post by Lars »

Why can't the Flemish government take over the stocks from the Belgian government? :wink:

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sn26567
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Post by sn26567 »

Please no politics here, Lars!
André
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A318
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Post by A318 »

Frederic, somehow you always only read (and reply to) what I write in a topic. Is you obsessed behaviour due to the fact you fall in love with me or you are just being on the hunt?
Whatever it may be you better stop it since I have a border too and you are standing on it with one foot, you are being warned now!

Erwin
A Whole Different Animal

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blackhawk
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Post by blackhawk »

Schiphol Group: "Zaventem still has a lot of growth possibilities. We also want to extend the airport. In the field of infrastructure, your airport has a huge backlog. We also want to create an "AirportCity" around the airport (this is not the same as "Airport Village", a project of BIAC). And of course, BRU is a very strategic airport right bewteen Paris and Amsterdam."

Flughafen Wien AG.: "BRU is situated in the heart of Europe. And their is still a huge capacity and development possibilities."

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Avro
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Post by Avro »

It's a very bad news that AMS made an offer for BRU. I really hope that they don't get BRU in the future.

I totally agree with Andrés words.
AMS is way to close of BRU. If AMS would buy BRU then you can be sure that they will re-direct all the inetresting (read: lucrative) traffic to AMS.

If FRA would buy BRU I would still be sceptic. FRA isn't that far away of BRU either !!!

The best option (in my opinion) is if BAA buys BRU or another company like the Australian holding. BAA hasn't got any airport on the mainland, and if they get BRU you can be sure that they'll try to make it strong to compete against AMS/CDG/FRA.

Let's hope that our politicians will do the right choice, but I really doubt. I don't thrust the politicians anymore in this country. Especially when you see how they handeled the different avaition related topics: DHL's night flights :evil: The noise over BRU and last but not least how they managed Sabena....
Lars wrote:First we lose Sabena to the Swiss and now BIAC to the Dutch???
Just as a reminder: The major shareholder of Sabena was the belgian government till the end !!!!!!

To end with we all know that the airports aren't related to airlines, but since AMS is a Skyteam hub, you can be sure that they don't want BAA to come over to BRU. Otherwise BRU will much stronger since it will get full support of BA and other oneworld airlines.

Regards
Chris
8)

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Sabena_690
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Post by Sabena_690 »

Erwin: I reply to EVERY statement of EVERY user if I find I can add something.

Have you ran out of 'facts' to counter what I wrote above?

In this topic you warn me that I have to stop replying to you (djeezes, it's a discussion forum). A few days ago, you insulted me. Yet you don't counter any of the things I bring up in a topic.

Anyway, I don't have some kind of 'hidden agenda' against you if that is what you think ;)
Brussels Airlines - Flying Your Way

Flybe
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Post by Flybe »

http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/news/?ID=4542 (in dutch)

The french construction compagny Vinci is interested for bidding on BIAC. This would be a dream come true for me: this summer i'll graduate, and as i'm interested in 2 main things (aviation and construction works) i was planning to apply for a job with the Belgian firms of Vinci. Hehe, now if i can work for them, i don't even need to miss out on the aviation part! :lol:

Anyway, one more candidate for BIAC! There seems to be quite much interest!

Pieter

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blackhawk
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Post by blackhawk »

Macquarie (Australia) makes a bid on Zaventem. Macquarie Airports has already an interest in the airport of Rome and Sydney. Spokeswoman Jane Rotsey affirmed that a consortium with Macquarie made a bid.

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Avro
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Post by Avro »

It's nice to see that there are more than one company who is interested in BRU. Let's hope that the best one will aquire BIAC.

Chris

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sn26567
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Post by sn26567 »

To summarise, we have four declared bidders: AMS, FRA, Vinci and Macquarie, all with airport experience; and probably two undeclared: VIE and CPH.

My preference goes to those who manage airports that do not compete with BRU: Vinci and Macquarie.
André
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re

Post by V-Bird »

well, if AMS gets bru, it will be a nice hub voor charter carriers lijke Martinair, Transavia etc. Maby a new KL-AF Cityhopper hub in Brussels..... nice in the centre

Flybe
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Post by Flybe »

http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/news/?id=4616 (dutch only)

AMS won't be privatised soon, so i think that the chances of AMS getting a majority stake in BRU are decreasing rapidly. Ams declared before already that it is very hard to get majority stakes in airports when they are not privatised themselves. I think that the belgian government will follow this opinion too. You don't sell a strategic important airport to the government next doors, do you? Then BRU would go from being a public airport to becoming... a public airport, only not a belgian anymore. I think that even our government must be smarter than that... :roll: :lol:

BTW, in the article they said that the dutch government would announce the postponement of the privatisation on friday (today). Did they allready announce that? Because as i don't read those newspapers, i don't know if it is a reliable source or not.

Greets,

Pieter

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Avro
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Post by Avro »

Flybe wrote: I think that even our government must be smarter than that... :roll: :lol:
I wouldn't be so sure abou that ;)

Chris

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Schiphol not in the short list either.

Post by AFApresident »

Message from the news service "Belga"
Schiphol niet langer kandidaat voor belang in Biac


16:52:12

BRUSSEL - Biac beschouwt de Nederlandse luchthaven van Schiphol niet langer als kandidaat om een belang te nemen in de luchthaven van Zaventem. Schiphol bracht in juni een niet-bindend bod uit. ,,Om redenen van prijs en concurrentie staan we niet op de short-list van definitieve kandidaat-overnemers'', meldt de persdienst van Schiphol vandaag. Meer details wilde men op Schiphol voorlopig niet kwijt. Maandag trok ook Fraport, de uitbater van de luchthaven van Frankfurt zich terug.



De Belgische staat is hoofdaandeelhouder van Biac met ruim 63 procent van de aandelen. In de loop van dit jaar wil de overheid een deel van die participatie te gelde maken. Daarvoor werd een biedingsprocedure opgestart via ING Bank. Een eerste periode voor niet-bindende biedingen liep af in juni. ING maakt daaruit een selectie van kandidaat-kopers die meer informatie krijgen en ook de boeken van Biac kunnen inkijken. Bindende biedingen worden pas verwacht in september.

Naast de luchthavens van Schiphol en Frankfurt circuleerden eerder onder meer de namen van de Australische groep Macquarrie en de Franse bouwgroep Vinci.


13/07/2004 - belga - hrt


This means Schiphol is not in the shortlist either to take over BIAC because of the competition between Schiphol and BRU and the price Schiphol offered wasn´t 'good' enough.

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Avro
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Post by Avro »

Great now we only have to hope that BAA is interested in BRU :mrgreen:

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luchtzak
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Post by luchtzak »

Just published this article in English, thanks to submitter Blackhawk:

https://www.aviation24.be/article4922.html

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blackhawk
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Post by blackhawk »

Luchtzak: now I'm Blushing :oops:

And It's great the 2 main "competitors" of BRU are no longer in the running. The 2 other known companies who are interested in BRU are the Australian group and Da Vinci. It seems BIAC is not only choosing for money, but also screens the candidates very well to see what they would like to do with BRU in the futur.

English version: Zaventem rejects Schiphol offer
The Brussels airport Zaventem has rejected an offer from its Amsterdam rival Schiphol, which hopes to take a major stake in the Belgian airhub, it was reported Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for Schiphol said Zaventem shareholders − including the Belgian government − decided against putting Schiphol on the short-list of possible buyers due to price and competition reasons.
But Schiphol refused to comment further on the matter and ING bank ; which is managing the sale of the Belgian government's stake in the Brussels airport was also tight-lipped.
It is not yet known which parties are still in the running to invest in Zaventem. The owner of the Frankfurt airport, Fraport, also indicated on Tuesday it was not interested in the Brussels airport.
A 70 percent stake in the Brussels International Airport Corporation (BIAC) which operates Zaventem is up for grabs. It is expected that the Belgian State will reduce its 63 percent stake in BIAC to 30 percent.
Schiphol which has yearned for many years to extend its reach into foreign airports and currently has stakes in terminal four of JFK airport in New York and the Brisbane airport in Australia revealed in June it wished to take a majority stake in Zaventem.
The Dutch government agreed on 2 July to sell off a large part of its stake in Schiphol in a long-awaited deal paving the way for the privatisation of the Amsterdam airport. Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm said Schiphol will not be listed on the stock market this year, but will be floated before 2007.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_art ... ry_id=9461
Last edited by blackhawk on 13 Jul 2004, 23:22, edited 1 time in total.

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ATC
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Post by ATC »

Schiphol niet langer kandidaat voor belang in Biac
This means Schiphol is not in the shortlist either to take over BIAC because of the competition between Schiphol and BRU and the price Schiphol offered wasn´t 'good' enough.
Untill now, this is the best news I've heard this year...
For the first time in belgium history they :wink: (?) made a logical decision. :jumpy:

I've nothing against dutch people... I think we can learn a lot of them but BRU couldn't be dutch. We know (deep in our heart) this would mean the end of BRU.

Therefor I'm very happy that AMS is out of the race...

We'll see what the future brings, but I'm convinced that BRU will be approached by a oneworld-member(-airport). :wink: :wink:

greetings,
ATC

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Andries
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Post by Andries »

sn26567 wrote:My preference goes to those who manage airports that do not compete with BRU: Vinci and Macquarie.
I have to agree with André ! I'd rather see Macquarie take over BRUthan BAA ... because they are not direct competitors ...

Maybay I'm dreaming, but I can already see an Qantas B744 landing on 25L :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Greetz,

:twisted: Andries :twisted:
Don't dream your life, live your dream !!!

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