Brussels Airlines daily to Montreal as from 25 March

Post by **Bruspotter** » 25 Nov 2006, 22:50

Hi

Really great news that SNBA would start flying again to North America.
A330 is good , a B767 is also welcome but a A340 would make it COMPLETE.

You know the A340 (maybe a bit weird) is one of the larger planes I've only seen the least in my life. I've until to know only seen couple of A340's.
Several Lufthansa's at FRA (both 343 and 346) , the A346 from Airbus , and once a Sabena (in the looooooooong time ago , end 2000) , I guess it stopped about there.

So it would be fantastic. Although I would rather prefere a A340 used for the Asian market. Performance of A330 is more than enough for US flights especially if you mean Canada. Pax capacity is by the way quite the same.

Anyway , I'm curious what it's going to be.
lets wait and see.

Hope this canadian flight lands a bit later than 6 O'Clock. About 10AM would be great. EXTREME SPOTTABLE I would say

nowadays , SNBA A330's are very rare to be spotted (even between 7-8AM) during landing.

Best regards: Yannick

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 25 Nov 2006, 23:32

Bruspotter wrote: Really great news that SNBA would start flying again to North America.
A330 is good , a B767 is also welcome but a A340 would make it COMPLETE.

You know the A340 (maybe a bit weird) is one of the larger planes I've only seen the least in my life. I've until to know only seen couple of A340's.
Several Lufthansa's at FRA (both 343 and 346) , the A346 from Airbus , and once a Sabena (in the looooooooong time ago , end 2000) , I guess it stopped about there.

So it would be fantastic. Although I would rather prefere a A340 used for the Asian market. Performance of A330 is more than enough for US flights especially if you mean Canada. Pax capacity is by the way quite the same.

Anyway , I'm curious what it's going to be.
lets wait and see.

Hope this canadian flight lands a bit later than 6 O'Clock. About 10AM would be great. EXTREME SPOTTABLE I would say nowadays , SNBA A330's are very rare to be spotted (even between 7-8AM) during landing.

Wow with such a reasoning we can be sure that SN will be going for the A340 !! They'll certainly want to make you happy while you are spotting !! And while we're at it they'll certainly re schedule their flights for your convenience. !!!!

People can we please try to stay with the facts !! A little bit of dreaming is alowed but don't exaggerate as well.

Chris

teach · Post by **teach** » 26 Nov 2006, 00:18

If you check the Brussels Airlines website for the future flights to Montreal they are still the same like SN now. Operated by AA via JFK and then furher on with AA Eagle. So maybe we sold the bears skin before he was shot. (u know what I mean ) or am I wrong? (I hope so because I'd love to see a belgian 340 again)

The route hasn't officially been announced yet. SN has apparently applied for the route, but whether they'll fly it or not will depend on if or when they can secure an aircraft (read: when they are offered one at a price that is low enough for them). As long as that isn't the case, there will be no mention of it on the site or in the booking engine.

Wow with such a reasoning we can be sure that SN will be going for the A340 !! They'll certainly want to make you happy while you are spotting !! And while we're at it they'll certainly re schedule their flights for your convenience. !!!!

What was that good for? The guy was just showing some enthusiasm, for crying out loud! So what if he viewed it from the spotter's point of view? This IS after all a site for aviation enthusiasts, no? Your comment was uncalled for, especially since you're a moderator.

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 26 Nov 2006, 12:48

teach wrote: The route hasn't officially been announced yet. SN has apparently applied for the route, but whether they'll fly it or not will depend on if or when they can secure an aircraft (read: when they are offered one at a price that is low enough for them). As long as that isn't the case, there will be no mention of it on the site or in the booking engine.

And that's the main issue with SN's long haul policy IMHO. They seem to want to expand but the problem is always they don't find a long haul plane at the affordable price. I don't understand this and would be happy if someone could clarify this for me. AFAIK SN is leasing the fleet so they don't have to make big investments to purchase a long haul plane. As for the leasing rates, yes they seem to be higher than the current 330 fleet, but many other airlines seem to aquire the planes at those rates and make money with them. So why not SN ? Are they unable to make money with such leasing rates ? Are they only able to make profit with the cheapest planes around ? Isn't it better to make less profit with a more expensive plane than nothing at all ?
That's why I just can't believe this statement that they need a plane at an affordable price... True one will always try to get it as cheap as possible but it seems they are looking for something which doesn't exist.

What was that good for? The guy was just showing some enthusiasm, for crying out loud! So what if he viewed it from the spotter's point of view? This IS after all a site for aviation enthusiasts, no? Your comment was uncalled for, especially since you're a moderator.

You forgot to quote my last sentence in order to put it entirely in the context:

People can we please try to stay with the facts !! A little bit of dreaming is alowed but don't exaggerate as well.

I have nothing against some enthousiasm and dreaming but the post was 100 % of dreaming and did not bring any facts or did not contribute in any way to the discussion. I'm sorry but specualting about arrival times of a flight which could be flown in the future if SN finds a plane at an affordable price and if SN decides to do that flight is too much. If everybody would start to dream like that and forget about the facts, we wouldn't have any discussions anymore.
As I said some dreaming is always allowed but don't exaggerate.

Chris

Vinnie-Winnie · Post by **Vinnie-Winnie** » 26 Nov 2006, 15:02

Avro wrote:
teach wrote: The route hasn't officially been announced yet. SN has apparently applied for the route, but whether they'll fly it or not will depend on if or when they can secure an aircraft (read: when they are offered one at a price that is low enough for them). As long as that isn't the case, there will be no mention of it on the site or in the booking engine.
And that's the main issue with SN's long haul policy IMHO. They seem to want to expand but the problem is always they don't find a long haul plane at the affordable price. I don't understand this and would be happy if someone could clarify this for me. AFAIK SN is leasing the fleet so they don't have to make big investments to purchase a long haul plane. As for the leasing rates, yes they seem to be higher than the current 330 fleet, but many other airlines seem to aquire the planes at those rates and make money with them. So why not SN ? Are they unable to make money with such leasing rates ? Are they only able to make profit with the cheapest planes around ? Isn't it better to make less profit with a more expensive plane than nothing at all ?
That's why I just can't believe this statement that they need a plane at an affordable price... True one will always try to get it as cheap as possible but it seems they are looking for something which doesn't exist.

What was that good for? The guy was just showing some enthusiasm, for crying out loud! So what if he viewed it from the spotter's point of view? This IS after all a site for aviation enthusiasts, no? Your comment was uncalled for, especially since you're a moderator.
You forgot to quote my last sentence in order to put it entirely in the context:
People can we please try to stay with the facts !! A little bit of dreaming is alowed but don't exaggerate as well.
I have nothing against some enthousiasm and dreaming but the post was 100 % of dreaming and did not bring any facts or did not contribute in any way to the discussion. I'm sorry but specualting about arrival times of a flight which could be flown in the future if SN finds a plane at an affordable price and if SN decides to do that flight is too much. If everybody would start to dream like that and forget about the facts, we wouldn't have any discussions anymore.
As I said some dreaming is always allowed but don't exaggerate.

Chris

Got to agree with what wise Chris says!

Why is every major airline expanding or renewing its fleet whilst SN basically keeps its fleet of rather old rather unreliable rather expensive to maintain aircrafts? If everybody was thinking short-term like SN was we would still be in the ice-age!

Time to sell Brussels airlines to investors who really think a bit long term instead of the status-quo where the main shareholders have still a view of the past! (IE maintain reasonable good links between Brussels and everywhere else...)

About spotter dreams well as Chris said nothing productive comes out of it! Might as well have fun by repainting an existing pic in Brussels airlines colours! A dream come true A380 in SN's colours!

Tommypilot · Post by **Tommypilot** » 26 Nov 2006, 15:58

Some dreams come true...some don't.
Nothing against dreaming...in "modern" times we call it freedom!

Bruspotter is maybe a little too enthusiastic but I prefer such people to spot with then people always complaining or showing off...just my opinion.

And off course I agree with Chris but don't forget that facts here are decreasing too (that's a fact

)

Back on topic please now...

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 26 Nov 2006, 16:02

A while ago, an employee of Brussels Airlines asked me in PM where they can find some A330 or B767. This says more then enough I think.

There are lately more then enough examples of airlines who get rid of their B767, A330 and A340. Those are KLM, OS, VS, etc.

And now back to this topic.

Robin_Bamps · Post by **Robin_Bamps** » 26 Nov 2006, 16:44

To stay with the VS A343 G-VAEL, it looks like this right now :

http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=559570

We'll know more in some weeks, when the plane leaves ZRH again (as they have a painting facility over there (the SN A330's where painted at SRT too), I guess it will leave in the c/s of the new operator).

Regards, Robin Bamps.

Vinnie-Winnie · Post by **Vinnie-Winnie** » 26 Nov 2006, 16:49

Atlantis wrote:A while ago, an employee of Brussels Airlines asked me in PM where they can find some A330 or B767. This says more then enough I think.

Lol guy must have been very low in the hierarchy to ask such a question! I mean that would be the lowest of the lowest should Brussels Airlines not know where to find aircrafts!

Back on topic would Boston not be more profitable? What about a daily Brussels-Boston-Montreal in codeshare with AA? Wish open-sky agreements were truly possible between US and EU! Could mean that an US carrier could buy Brussels Airlines and lease some aircrafts to them instread of dumping capacity everywhere like they do at the moment...

fly · Post by **fly** » 26 Nov 2006, 18:38

Any news on the 767's they where looking into? It looks more intresting to me to take a couple of 767's instead of 1 A343.
(source airliners.net)
Would be better , they don't need the cargo to north america and can do some charters with them aswell.
Also crewproblem would be the same , they still need pilots to be trained on them and I think a A343 is way to big for the routes to north america.
these where my 5 cents.
regards

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 26 Nov 2006, 19:52

They could also use indeed a B767 but not only to Canada.

Why not use that aircraft for the route to Dakar? They are now flying 6 times a week to Dakar and most of the time for leisure. So turn that flight into a charter flight like Sobelair did.

In that way, when BruAir decided still to fly triangles, they could fly to a possible new African destination or turn up the frequentie of an other destination.

But then you need two aircrafts and that's not BruAir's intention. Its only a thought.

fcw · Post by **fcw** » 26 Nov 2006, 20:17

The financial situation of BruAir is so vulnerable that one commercial mistake can be the end of the company. So it is logic that they don't want to take any risk. They will expand if there is an opportunity but not by all means as some of you are sugesting.

AirDupont · Post by **AirDupont** » 27 Nov 2006, 15:24

Are operating costs of an A343 that much higher then an A330? How about leasing costs? The demand of the 330 is way higher then the 340, does that matter in any way?

TWA · Post by **TWA** » 28 Nov 2006, 05:14

Since when wants VS to get rid of all their A340-300 s. Some of them went to AY but they are still opening more and new routes. I think the A340-300 is in ZRH for repainting in the new VS colours.