BRU in 2006: what to expect: airlines, routes, news

DannyVDB · Post by **DannyVDB** » 21 Jan 2006, 08:28

Atlantis wrote:It's official confirmed that Ethiopian Airlines start operations this summer to BRU.
They start at the end of March or begin April. During the past weeks they had talks with BIAC and companies for ticketing, catering, handling.

The flights are going via Paris. The flights from AMS to Addis Abeba are also changing and are going via Frankfurt iso Rome.

If the route BRU - Addis Abeba will be a success they will think to change metal into the B787 Dreamliner.

So, this is very good news to start the weekend and for our airport BRU.

Source: Travel magazine

Would be nice to see Ethiopian in BRU.

Any idea if SNBA would codeshare with them. Addis Abeba would be a good connection point for offering other regional destinations. There are some important UN offices there ...

Danny

DannyVDB · Post by **DannyVDB** » 21 Jan 2006, 08:31

Atlantis wrote:Sorry it's Mumbai, I don't know why I always says Delhi

On luchtvaartnieuws they refer to Delhi

Danny

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 21 Jan 2006, 10:02

Well Ethiopian says they want to talk with SNBA about a possible codeshare.

killerwhale65 · Post by **killerwhale65** » 21 Jan 2006, 13:00

Atlantis wrote: The positive points of BRU according to Hainan:

1) Bru is positioned strategic very good.

2) Very good connections with the rest of Europe.

3) They are the first carrier for the route Beijing - BRU. No competition at all. When the American DOT give permission to fly to Boston also no competition.

4) The BRU airport fares are very competitive with the rest of the European airports.

Behind the scenes the people of Macquarie Airports are working very hard to attract more airlines to BRU are are very, very close in this operation.

Thanks for answering my question!

LJ · Post by LJ » 21 Jan 2006, 17:29

I am not so sure about argument b) - there are a lot of international headquarters in BE/BRU ... and I am not so sure about the C traffic. Are there any figures about both aspects?

On A.net there is a thread in which someone claims that the reason that EK flies to ZRH with an A350 is that a certain Swiss company has a deal for 12 F-class seats on each flight. I don't know how reliable this info is, but there is a reason why LX still has a F-class (probably the presence of companies like Credit Suisse, UBS and Nestle)

Officially Belgium houses many large international "headquarters", but these HQs consist of a postal box or small office only (Belgian tax laws are very favourable for big multinationals due to the socalled "coordination centers"), the real HQ is somewhere else. I'm not familiar with how many chinese companies have their european HQ in Belgium or Switzerland, but I reckon most of them are in Germany and the UK.

One additional plus argument for BRU would be the possibility to serve France and The Netherlands without having to start service to these countries.

Well Ethiopian says they want to talk with SNBA about a possible codeshare.

Strange, I recall LH is doing some codeshare business with ET in Africa and one would think that ET would use LH as its european codeshare partner.

OrientThai · Post by **OrientThai** » 21 Jan 2006, 18:33

Another positive point for BRU is that SNBA want to code-share with Hainan and can offer good connections to Europe and Africa (more and more Chinese are investing in Africa).
Ethiopian has been rumored for more than a year so let's hope this time will be the right time.

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 21 Jan 2006, 19:09

LJ wrote:

Well Ethiopian says they want to talk with SNBA about a possible codeshare.
Strange, I recall LH is doing some codeshare business with ET in Africa and one would think that ET would use LH as its european codeshare partner.

Correct, ET is working with LH on the German market. For the Belgian market SNBA is one of the potential airlines who they talked with.

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 21 Jan 2006, 19:13

OrientThai wrote:Another positive point for BRU is that SNBA want to code-share with Hainan and can offer good connections to Europe and Africa (more and more Chinese are investing in Africa).
Ethiopian has been rumored for more than a year so let's hope this time will be the right time.

Indeed, a huge number of Chinese companies are invest a lot of money in whole Africa and this in every segment.

DannyVDB · Post by **DannyVDB** » 21 Jan 2006, 20:01

LJ wrote: Officially Belgium houses many large international "headquarters", but these HQs consist of a postal box or small office only (Belgian tax laws are very favourable for big multinationals due to the socalled "coordination centers"), the real HQ is somewhere else.

This is absolutely wrong ... There are many real headquarters in Brussels. That's one of the reasons BRU has that many business passengers (not necessarily in C class). Pax does not come only from EU and NATO ...

Danny

LJ · Post by LJ » 21 Jan 2006, 21:27

Another positive point for BRU is that SNBA want to code-share with Hainan and can offer good connections to Europe and Africa (more and more Chinese are investing in Africa).

I don't see why Chinese businesspeople travel via BRU to Africa as ET offers a relatively good product ex PEK. Moreover a detour via western Europe will take a lot of additional flying hours and good connection possibilities ex BRU to Africa would be almost non-existent as Chinese airlines tend to arrive during late afternoon (I''m not familiar with a flight from China which arrives before 10:00AM in Europe), when all the SNBA flights to Africa are almost at their destination. Given the fact that an arrival time in BRU of 09:00AM means a departure ex PEK before 06:00AM local I doubt Hainan would offer connections via BRU to Africa unless SNBA would reschedule their Africa ops, which they can't do without losing connections. If ET start flying this would improve (but it would still be a very long journey), but ET will route their pax on their own ADD-PEK flights which are less time consuming.

This is absolutely wrong ... There are many real headquarters in Brussels.

just for clarification as this is off topic. What I meant was that there are a few worldwide HQs in Belgium as the number of large multinationals is very limited (just have a look at the Forbes list and you'll agree). Belgium hoouses many european HQs of large foreign multinationals.

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 22 Jan 2006, 17:18

With the new summerschedule of 2006, Finnair will add a Sundaymorning flight from BRU to HEL.

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 25 Jan 2006, 17:33

During his trademission in Qatar, mister Marc Verwilghen discussed a "possible" direct connection between Brussels and Doha.

Qatar is very interested in Belgium to export gaz to our country. The seaport of Zeebrugge will be an important player.

DannyVDB · Post by **DannyVDB** » 25 Jan 2006, 20:45

This would be nice ... Maybe an A320 from Qatar Airways?

Don't forget that Qatar airways already had some special flights related to the 'Tour of Qatar' in which a lot of Belgians took part.

Sports can add something to business and tourism.

Danny

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 28 Jan 2006, 11:31

I was reading today at A.net that Etihad have the intention to increase the flights to YYZ till 6 flights a week with the B777-300ER. Sources were not mentioned, so it could be right or wrong. But in case of an increase could it be that EY will drop BRU?

Some other airlines in the East are also thinking to fly to YYZ, but direct, so it could be.

Zorba · Post by **Zorba** » 28 Jan 2006, 12:14

Atlantis wrote:I was reading today at A.net that Etihad have the intention to increase the flights to YYZ till 6 flights a week with the B777-300ER. Sources were not mentioned, so it could be right or wrong. But in case of an increase could it be that EY will drop BRU?

Some other airlines in the East are also thinking to fly to YYZ, but direct, so it could be.

Most likely, yes. I still hope for the Abu Dhabi - Brussels - Toronto with the B773ER, but I don't think that will happen.

Ethiopian will use B762/B763ER on their routes to BRU. (Don't know if this was already mentioned).

Post by **Kapitein** » 28 Jan 2006, 13:00

Atlantis wrote: But in case of an increase could it be that EY will drop BRU?

No, they will continue

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 28 Jan 2006, 14:54

Airbus_fan wrote: Ethiopian will use B762/B763ER on their routes to BRU. (Don't know if this was already mentioned).

Yes it was already mentioned. I started that post in this topic. They want to use a B767-300ER for that route. If it is succesfull they even think to use the new B787. But that's maybe in the future.

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 28 Jan 2006, 15:19

Brubiac wrote:
Atlantis wrote: But in case of an increase could it be that EY will drop BRU?
No, they will continue

Thanks Brubiac for the answer.

andong · Post by **andong** » 31 Jan 2006, 08:29

Well it is very simple. If oyu look at the load factor on carriers flying to China more than 50% is made up by Chinese (tourists&students&businessmen). If they fly to Zurich or any other non EU airport they will have to ask 2 visas and I can tell you out of experience that to get a visa in China for the EU is no chickensh.t.

Atlantis wrote:
killerwhale65 wrote:
Atlantis wrote:The decision to fly to Europe is already fallen but they have to choose between Zürich and BRU.
Why would they choose BRU over Zurich?
Why would they choose Zürich over BRU? Same question. It's a very strange question if you asked me.

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 02 Feb 2006, 19:20

As announced in an other topic Condor will start daily flights to BRU on 1 April 2006 with A320 equipment.

Also news on the Jet Airways front. This airline was very close to discontinue the start up flight from Mumbai via Brussels to Newark. This because an American airline with the same name went to court.
But with the merger of Air Sahara into Jet Airways the way could be open now if and only if they can use the Air Sahara laws.