Korongo Airlines

[sn26567]

Kabila is the winner. What about Korongo airlines now?

[cathay belgium]

Guess you said it right then ! What about ? Nothing more to say I guess...

CX-B

[jan_olieslagers]

? Will the new Kabila dislike George Forrest less than the old? Or what else would change? Why should anything change, actually?

[Shanti]

You never know in Africa!

[Shanti]

Any news of Korongo Airlines?

[tolipanebas]

FWIW, the BAe146 planes are starting to fly more often again in the runup to some sort of a solution, so it seems as if the end is in sight, whatever it may be.

[HighInTheSky]

All paperwork is now signed and start-up is forseen in the spring of 2012.

[Shanti]

That is really good news!

[brusselsairlinesfan]

THIS IS

That is really good news!

All paperwork is now signed and start-up is forseen in the spring of 2012.

MAJOR NEWS I WOULD SAY!!!

Why does it remain unofficial?

KORONGO taking off around march would be great!

[HighInTheSky]

THIS IS

That is really good news!

All paperwork is now signed and start-up is forseen in the spring of 2012.

MAJOR NEWS I WOULD SAY!!!

Why does it remain unofficial?

KORONGO taking off around march would be great!

Detailed timeline is being prepared now, so I assume that a official press release will be sent in due time

[fcw]

Contractair is recruiting 737 pilots for Korongo, start date 01/04/2012.

[Shanti]

Any chance to fly with the Korongo boeing 737-300 from Brussels before leaving to tropical Africa?
Destination is not important.
A really oo-ltm fan!

[tolipanebas]

And it's 100% official now: Korongo to start in Spring

Korongo Airlines will offer regular services between Lubumbashi and Kinshasa as well as between Lubumbashi and Johannesburg, both on Boeing 737. Very soon after start up, Mbuji Maji and Kolwezi will be added to the network from Lubumbashi.

[brusselsairlinesfan]

And it's 100% official now: Korongo to start in Spring

Korongo Airlines will offer regular services between Lubumbashi and Kinshasa as well as between Lubumbashi and Johannesburg, both on Boeing 737. Very soon after start up, Mbuji Maji and Kolwezi will be added to the network from Lubumbashi.

VERY GOOD NEWS FOR BOTH BRUSSELS AIRLINES & CONGOLESE/AFRICAN AVIATION!!!

How did they "suddenly" reach an agreement? I am a bit curious about it...

[cnc]

will they codeshare with star alliance members?

[fcw]

How did they "suddenly" reach an agreement? I am a bit curious about it...

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ + €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€

[OO-ITR]

Indeed very good news.
Some of the members on here will be sad as they would prefer seeing this project fail...

[rwandan-flyer]

Finally...

[sn26567]

Finally...

If Korongo had failed, some had hoped that SN could have reached an agreement with RwandAir to establish a base in Rwanda...

[Flanker]

Good news indeed.

However...

-B737, RJ85 phase-out maintenance costs (my estimate 10 million)
-A319/A320/A330 phase-in costs (my estimate 5 million)
-A330 refurbishment 25 million
-NYC start-up loss and investments (my estimate minimum 5 million)
-Korongo re-investment and start-up loss (my estimate minimum 10 million)
-Euro is -10%, potentially going lower, fuel is unchanged, 30 million deeper loss
-ETS, 15 million
-Industrial actions and miscellaneous issues, 5 million

Other potential losses, my estimates:
-Winter operations, up to 5 million (part of which has been spent in the past weeks)
-Africa yields under pressure due to re-start of Afriqiyah, TK joining the market. 5 to 10 million, but could be much much more.
-Europe under pressure, LCC competition, BUD is a lost cause, partner Spanair tits-up, Blue 1 is gone so no more feeding from HEL, Air Berlin looming.
Yields under pressure due to overcapacity, too large aircraft in a deepening recession
(An RJ85 with 50 pax is cheaper to run than a A319 with 50 pax.) Up to 20 million.

Almost all of this is versus last year's loss.
Do the math...

I repeat my prediction, it's going to be tough for SN to survive the next winter.