SN to Montreal and St-Maarten

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » 27 Oct 2004, 23:00

SN has added 2 new destinations thanks to a codeshare with AA, yes, again a codeschare. Montreal and St-Maarten.

http://www.flysn.be/en_be/promos-destin ... s/america/

reported by OO-VEX at the chat

Humberside · Post by **Humberside** » 27 Oct 2004, 23:10

More good news for SN - I'm sure these destinations will be popular

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 28 Oct 2004, 00:29

Humberside wrote:More good news for SN - I'm sure these destinations will be popular

Yes particularly St-Maarten, you have no idea how long the queue is for St-Maarten!

DAT202D · Post by **DAT202D** » 28 Oct 2004, 09:46

Yes good news indeed, but this means the SN flight will be flown with AA airplanes... i would rather like to see more SN planes around the globe. Wouldn't it be great to see a SN A330 land on St-Maarten 8O

beaucaire · Post by **beaucaire** » 28 Oct 2004, 10:13

I also remark that most of the new destinations of SN are mostly codeshares ,which greatly delutes the global "branding" of the undisputed SN quality of service.SN should and must show their own flag as soon as it makes commercial sense - specially in the US/Caribes .
Bare SN stickers on third-party flights don't create property assets ( e.a. landing rights,slots,markeing awareness of new customers etc. )

Post by **sn26567** » 28 Oct 2004, 10:28

If you take a close look at the timetable, you will see that the trip to St. Maarten includes a night stop in New York. Not really a ideal situation!

And, as Fons has mentioned, the traffic to St. Maarten is booming! Maybe MD-11 ought to schedule a second honeymoon trip over there 8)

Humberside · Post by **Humberside** » 28 Oct 2004, 10:46

If traffic is this good, whats the chances someone will start a scheduled service direct from BRU, perhaps the Exel group (probably have to have a new airline to do it

)

Post by **sn26567** » 28 Oct 2004, 11:18

Humberside, Fons SN30952 and myself sn26567 were ironic on that one

As youself on StMaartenExel

Buzz · Post by **Buzz** » 28 Oct 2004, 11:25

Humberside wrote:If traffic is this good, whats the chances someone will start a scheduled service direct from BRU, perhaps the Exel group (probably have to have a new airline to do it )

They allready have, if I'm not mistaken, St Maarten is part of the Dutch Caraibes, isn't it? So perfect for DutchCaribbeanExel?
The were planning a StMaartenExel, but that has changed to WinairExel now they will be taking over Winair...

Humberside · Post by **Humberside** » 28 Oct 2004, 11:36

Buzz

The point I was trying to make is that surely the Exel Group do not need all these airlines

If Aruba, Bonair and Curacao Exel are are all need for local identity, at least Dutch Caribbean Exel could be merged with Curacao Exel.

What about Holland and Belguim Exel, couldn't they be merged into something like Benelux Exel, after all its a charter airline, not a scheduled airline

Flybe · Post by **Flybe** » 28 Oct 2004, 11:57

I also remark that most of the new destinations of SN are mostly codeshares ,which greatly delutes the global "branding" of the undisputed SN quality of service.

I think SNBA is very reluctant to introduce additional aircrafts, due to the cost of it, and as the longhaul aircrafts are even much more expensive, i think they for sure won't introduce those. Services to the US are too competitive, and also AA wouldn't be happy with it, i imagine. For destinations with not much demand, it is better to codeshare.

Don't forget that SN is focussed on making profits, because the loan that SN Airholding got has to be paid back in a few years (wasn't it 2006?). And the takeover of VEX puts additional strain on the already small profit margin of SN Airholding (because VEX is also this year still operating at a loss). SN Airholding would prefer profits, i guess, so don't expect to see additional aircrafts soon. My opinion is that they will only put in an additional aircraft, if enough routes require higher capacity/frequency to eep that additional aircraft always busy.

Greets,

Pieter

DannyVDB · Post by **DannyVDB** » 28 Oct 2004, 23:14

Flybe,

I agree with you ... Don't forget that SNBA has still some room for 'natural' expansion, it means that they receive more pax with the same offer ... See to their load factors, good but not enough. Expansion will come, but afterwards ... (step by step).

At several occasions SNBA stated clearly they did not want to expand (right now) ... Their current expansion with the codeshares is important since it makes the chance to fill airplanes out of / to Brussels higher.

Don't forget that this is the real problem: BRU as a connection node isn't existing and in general number of pax on BRU flights and LF are low as compared to other big airports ... (Look at the figures of transfer pax: it's decreasing as compared to 2003!)

Danny