"Eurowings Europe" on track to start in March 2016

[Thomaaas]

Some reports suggest that Zurich-based SWISS could leave Geneva in 2018 to be replaced by lower-cost Eurowings.

https://www.businesstraveller.com/airli ... it-geneva/

One of my contacts inside SN has also hinted at the fact that the ongoing discussion between LH and SN is about the name now. LH apparently wants too see the name "Brussels Airlines" to go.

Would be a bad idea IMO. Brussels Airlines is starting to become a Household name, and has a high brand value in Belgium. Also, would be a shame for the 3 special liveries (rackham, trident and magritte).

[Stij]

Could we continue with the possible take-over / annexation / assimilation (Yes controversial, but is there a better word???) of Brussels Airlines by Eurowings in the "Brussels Airlines Future and financial perspective" topic? https://www.aviation24.be/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=45737

Cheers,

Stij

[Passenger]

One of my contacts inside SN has also hinted at the fact that the ongoing discussion between LH and SN is about the name now. LH apparently wants too see the name "Brussels Airlines" to go.

Would be a bad idea IMO. Brussels Airlines is starting to become a Household name, and has a high brand value in Belgium. Also, would be a shame for the 3 special liveries (rackham, trident and magritte).

Off course it's a bad idea. I think about everyone agrees on that (repeat: "about" everyone). Not only because of their high brand value in Belgium, but also for the same reason in Africa and in Europe (remember their Tomorrowland flights and, indeed, their rackham, trident and magritte aircraft).

I also have sources within Brussels Airlines, and nobody told me yet that Lufthansa wants that the name "Brussels Airlines" disappears. Off course "Brussels" in the name may remind some people to the 22/03 attacks. But a name referral to a sad incident also applies to Germanwings.

The reason why Lufthansa plans to replace Swiss by Eurowings in Geneva, is not because the branch name "Swiss" has to disappear, but because of the low performance from Swiss at Geneva. Like the Article in Business Traveller stated: "...It is because national airline Swiss continues to lose money on its Geneva short-haul operations... The problem that Swiss faces in Geneva is that its market share is small compared to its budget rival Easyjet... Rts.ch claims that Swiss holds only 15 per cent of the Geneva market compared to Easyjet’s 40 per cent share..."

[sn26567]

The reason why Lufthansa plans to replace Swiss by Eurowings in Geneva, is not because the branch name "Swiss" has to disappear, but because of the low performance from Swiss at Geneva. Like the Article in Business Traveller stated: "...It is because national airline Swiss continues to lose money on its Geneva short-haul operations... The problem that Swiss faces in Geneva is that its market share is small compared to its budget rival Easyjet... Rts.ch claims that Swiss holds only 15 per cent of the Geneva market compared to Easyjet’s 40 per cent share..."

And that is due to a strategic mistake of SWISS predecessor Swissair (which made many other mistakes...!): indeed, there was a time when Swissair was buoyant in Geneva, with flights to many destinations in Europe and the US, and all the flights to Africa.

Swissair management decided to centralise all flights in Zurich, leaving only a shuttle between ZRH and GVA and the New York flight (for the UN). The competitors of course seized the opportunity to expand at GVA, and low-cost easyJet to establish a base there with Swiss-registered aircraft.

When SWISS was created on the ashes of Swissair, it didn't change the strategy. It only reinstated a few destinations from GVA, not enough to make the operations sustainable. Eurowings seems indeed the only way to make a profit again for the LH Group in GVA. But the successful BRU-GVA flights should remain in the hands of SN.

[sn26567]

Lufthansa puts pressure on Swiss to turn Geneva profitable

Swiss may cut its European network from the current forty destinations, to thirty as part of a market turnaround plan, dubbed "Geneva Reloaded". The two-year plan, which runs until 2018, is aimed at improving the profitability of the carrier's Geneva hub operations. It will not affect Swiss's long haul services to New York JFK.

According to a meeting transcript seen by the Sonntagszeitung, the carrier has been warned by parent, Lufthansa Group, that unless the plan pays off and Swiss' regional European operations are able to generate a profit, then the airport could be turned over to the Group's budget operation, Eurowings.

As such, Eurowings has now been tasked with devising its own business plan for a possible Geneva market entry. Lufthansa Group insiders have said the company expects to make a decision on the future of its Geneva operations in the middle of next year.

The ch-aviation route database shows that aside from domestic services to Lugano and Zurich, Swiss's Geneva operations entail flights to various destinations in Algeria, Czechia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Morocco, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Source: ch-aviation

[Flanker2]

It's funny how corporate who is unable to turn a profit with their main branch is now giving profitability ultimatums to one of their most profitable branches.

[sn-remember]

I wonder if Austrian is also affected .. After all the brand almost disappeared 4 yrs ago following a labour dispute, to the benefit of the obscure tyrolean brand .. Now that VO is dissolved inside the OS group, it would be odd to restart a Tyrolean sibling named EuroWings ...
Anyhow, the real question is wether BRU can stand as a significant business intercontinental hub or not. GVA was axed (rightly so imho), bru is difficult to say ... It's clear that the policy followed during and after the snba operation was an unambitious decade long stagnation that left feathers.
I am skeptical with the whole EuroWings scheme, seems like Transavia going international. It's uninspiring. Of course they would target the local leisure trafic but nothing much business-wise .. Restricting the current sn business model can only be damaging ...
On the other hand the Norvegian scheme seems to me more innovative and promising, maybe their business model is more agressive ?
Imagine lh would take over Aegean or TP or LOT, and rename the airline Eurowings .. Would it seem viable and promising ?

[AIRMARSHAL]

Imagine lh would take over Aegean or TP or LOT, and rename the airline Eurowings .. Would it seem viable and promising ?

Don't know but for an aviation enthousiast it is less interesting.

[sn26567]

Eurowings this week has filed additional planned new routes for summer 2017 season, with the addition of 5 new routes from Cologne, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart. Selected service is operated by germanwings/4U, marked with * below.

New routes:
eff 26MAR17 Cologne – Sylt 3 weekly*
eff 26MAR17 Dusseldorf – Krakow 6 weekly
eff 27MAR17 Stuttgart – Lyon 6 weekly (5 of 6 weekly by 4U)
eff 07APR17 Stuttgart – Thira 1 weekly
eff 06MAY17 Dusseldorf – Pula

Previously reported new routes:
eff 26MAR17 Hannover – Faro 2 weekly*
eff 26MAR17 Stuttgart – Pisa 3 weekly*
eff 08APR17 Vienna – Lamezia Terme 1 weekly
eff 08APR17 Vienna – Zadar 1 weekly
eff 09APR17 Berlin Tegel – Faro 1 weekly*
eff 09APR17 Hannover – Ibiza 1 weekly*
eff 09APR17 Vienna – Kavala 2 weekly
eff 05MAY17 Berlin Tegel – Mykonos
eff 06MAY17 Hamburg – Jerez de la Frontera (Planned service cancelled)

Operational frequencies on/after May 2017 for new routes remain unavailable on the airline' website schedule listing.

Source: Airline Route/Routes online

[sn26567]

Lufthansa is nearing an agreement to operate 40 airplanes from Air Berlin (used on European flights except those from its two main bases in Berlin and Dusseldorf), letting Lufthansa bolster its Eurowings unit. The deal may pave the way for Air Berlin to cut about 1,000 of its 8,600 staff in coming months.

The deal may be followed by a separate agreement to combine Eurowings with Air Berlin’s NIKI subsidiary.

That would mean a tremendously fast growth for Eurowings.

[Passenger]

Lufthansa is nearing an agreement to operate 40 airplanes from Air Berlin (used on European flights except those from its two main bases in Berlin and Dusseldorf), letting Lufthansa bolster its Eurowings unit. The deal may pave the way for Air Berlin to cut about 1,000 of its 8,600 staff in coming months. The deal may be followed by a separate agreement to combine Eurowings with Air Berlin’s NIKI subsidiary. That would mean a tremendously fast growth for Eurowings.

Confirmed!

https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/press ... /4686.html

Negotiations on wet lease agreement of up to 40 Air Berlin aircraft for Eurowings and Austrian Airlines from the start of the 2017 summer schedule.

Today Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Air Berlin PLC signed a letter of intent on the wet lease of up to 40 aircraft which will be operated by the Air Berlin Group for the Lufthansa Group companies Eurowings and Austrian Airlines. The six-year agreement, is to start with the beginning of the 2017 summer schedule on 26 March. It would enable Eurowings to significantly expand its capacities and strengthen its position in the European point-to-point air transport market.

Eurowings currently operates a total fleet of 90 aircraft. Under the new agreement, Eurowings is to lease in 35 further aircraft from Air Berlin which would fly in Eurowings livery. Another five Air Berlin aircraft would be leased by Austrian Airlines. As both parties are aiming for a wet-lease collaboration all up to 40 aircraft concerned would not only be provided by Air Berlin but the Airline would also remain responsible for their operations, i.e. Air Berlin would continue to provide their cockpit and cabin crews and maintenance. The leased fleet of up to 29 Airbus A320 and up to eleven A319 would fit well into the existing Eurowings fleet, which consists entirely of Airbus aircraft.

The new aircraft would be based at seven airports in Germany, in Vienna and in Palma de Mallorca. The five aircraft destined for Austrian Airlines are to further strengthen the carrier’s leading position at its home Vienna hub. The deployment on new services and phase out of aircraft would be staggered.

The leases are to be agreed at competitive market rates. The final agreement is expected to be concluded in the fourth quarter of 2016. An implementation will further require the approval of the partners’ supervisory boards and the relevant competition authorities.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Lufthansa Group Media Relations

[Stij]

Eurowings currently 90 aircraft????

Including SN then????

Stij

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Eurowings currently 90 aircraft????

Including SN then????

Stij

Including (ex-)Germanwings I guess!

[brabel]

35 planes from Air Berlin will be for Eurowings.
5 of them will be for Austrian

http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieuws/c ... n-austrian

[Conti764]

I hope it goes bankrupt. The sooner, the better.

[Yuqu12]

I hope it goes bankrupt. The sooner, the better.

I couldn't agree more . Especially when it is before the integration of SN!!

[sn26567]

Schedules of the new Palma de Mallorca base were computed by Airline Route as follows:

Eurowings this week has expanded planned operation for its Palma Mallorca base, as reservation for additional 4 routes are now available. These service will be served by Eurowings Europe (E2).

eff 25MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Paderborn 1 weekly (Day 4 / Day 5 from PAD; 4 weekly Day x146 from PMI / Day x256 from PAD from 02JUL17)
eff 26MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Muenster 3 weekly (Day 256 / Day 367 from FMO; 4 weekly Day x347 / Day x245 from FMO from 03JUL17)
eff 26MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Saarbrucken 3 weekly (Day 156; 4 weekly Day x247 from 05JUL17)
eff 02JUL17 Palma Mallorca – Basel 3 weekly (Day 457)

Previously announced new routes by Eurowings Europe (E2):
eff 25MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Leipzig 2 weekly (Day 14; 5 weekly Day x25 from 04JUL17; 4 weekly Day x346 from 11AUG17)
eff 25MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Dortmund 4 weekly (Day x137)
eff 28MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Dresden 2 weekly (Day 37; 3 weekly Day 367 from 25JUN17; 5 weekly Day x25 from 01JUL17)
eff 28MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden 3 weekly (Day 137; 4 weekly Day x234 from 01JUL17)
eff 30MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Salzburg 1 weekly (Day 2)
eff 31MAY17 Palma Mallorca – Nuremberg 1 weekly (Day 3/4; 4 weekly Day x567 from 03JUL17)

[sn26567]

Lufthansa is in talks with Turkish Airlines about the idea of folding SunExpress Germany into Eurowings (Germany).

[Bralo20]

Lufthansa is in talks with Turkish Airlines about the idea of folding SunExpress Germany into Eurowings (Germany).

Carsten Spohr must be really desperate... He's even willing to use an airline with an Boeing 737 fleet, despite that LH just retired the type. He probably has some bonuses tied up in the Eurowings saga...

[skumfiduse]

Lufthansa is in talks with Turkish Airlines about the idea of folding SunExpress Germany into Eurowings (Germany).

Carsten Spohr must be really desperate... He's even willing to use an airline with an Boeing 737 fleet, despite that LH just retired the type. He probably has some bonuses tied up in the Eurowings saga...

Or it is time to act now before there's no role to play for Eurowings.

Let's not forget the huge order Norwegian placed some years ago. These planes have to fly somewhere.
Then there's still Transavia, Vueling, airberlin and Meridiana (which will see some Qatar 737's) backed by strong airline groups.

Eurowings will never become the size of Ryanair let alone easyJet. If EW want to battle for Europe's third low-cost airline, they need all they can get.

By having talks about SunExpress, LH is searching for development opportunities. Wouldn't we all do that if we were in a similar competitive situation? Time will tell if this is the right approach for growth. There's more than Carsten Spohr, right?

(Sidenote/off-topic: It almost sounds like that scene from the Lion King when the hyena's are shivering when they're calling out Mufasa's name)