Article on Brussels Airport

[sn26567]

Nice article on Brussels Airport in anna.aero: "Brussels sees long-haul growth thanks to Jet Airways and US carriers; Aegean and Wind Jet among new carriers for 2009".

A nice graph showing the trend in traffic from 1991 to 2008:



It's nice to see that intercontinental traffic has never been as high as in 2008. However, European traffic still hads to reach the levels achieved in Sabena times.

New airlines/destinations in 2009: AMM (Royal Jordanian), AOE (Turkish Airlines), ATH (Aegean), BVC (Jetairfly), FRL (Wind Jet), MXP (Lufthansa Italia), PMO (Brussels Airlines), SAW (Pegasus), SVQ (Brussels Airlines), TXL (Brussels Airlines), VNO (Brussels Airlines)

Lost airlines/destinations in 2009: ARN (Sterling), BGY (Brussels Airlines), BRN (British Airways operated by Sun-Air of Denmark), CAG (Cagliari), CPH (Sterling), EXT (Flybe), FCO (Air One), LJU (Brussels Airlines), MXP (Air One), NDR (Jetairfly), OSL (Sterling), OUD (Jetairfly), THF (Brussels Airlines), VNO (flyLAL), WRO (LOT)

[airtrotter]

nice graph, thanks!

now I don't want to question the accuracy of this graph, but I tend to think that long-haul capacity hasn't reached year 2000 levels yet, I mean back then, you had Sabena with several African, N-American and Asian (even S-America ?) destinations, the different US carriers and probably others.
Now, there's only SN (with less African capacity than 10 years ago), US carriers, Jet Airways and some EY, TS and HU.
Probably it's just perception. :think:
Anyway, can someone point out the diferences in long-haul operations between 2000 and this year? Maybe sombody still has a BRU timetable from back then? would be nice

grz

[Atlantis]

Well, in 1997, 98, 99 and 2000 we had long haul carriers as Air Mauritius, China Eastern, Biman Bangladesh, VASP, etc. Those ceased their ops to BRU due to financial problems, defunct or no interest. Most of them had 2 or 3 flights a week to BRU. They are now replaced by other carriers or the route is suspend.

But indeed, Sabena was flying in that period with almost 100 airplanes to a lot of intercontinental destinations. I think that they had arround 11, 12 long haul plane. Don't forget that we had in that period also City Bird with flights to Canada and the USA.

[sn26567]

Look at the figures on the graph: 4.1 million passengers overseas in 2000, 4.2 million in 2008. That's more, isn't it?

[Stij]

But indeed, Sabena was flying in that period with almost 100 airplanes to a lot of intercontinental destinations. I think that they had arround 11, 12 long haul plane. Don't forget that we had in that period also City Bird with flights to Canada and the USA.

Ok, but just Jet Airways replaces 6 of Sabena's plus Brussels Airlines replaces another 4 making a total of 10, not so far from the 11 or 12. Citybird was flying to Mexico City (in combination with a charter destination) 1 time a week, plus 3 rotations the west coast and 3 to Florida, making a avarage of 1 a day. Our ops to Newark were already taken over by Sabena in 2000.

Also, take into account that pax to North Africa are considered intercontinental pax as well!

So, it could very well be that in 2008 BRU handled (slightly) more intercontinental pax then in 2000.

Cheers,

Stijn

[JCO]

Do Passengers to Turkey pass as intercontinental to ? Most will land and the Asian part of Turkey.

[regi]

we lost :

• Singapore Airlines with its stop to Manchester,
  Thai Air,
  the RJ Tris Stars
  Sobelair
  Interflug ( not sure if all was done in cooperation with Sabena)
  Balkan Air

But OK, that was way before 2009.

[BATAVIA]

Hey,

It does not surprise me at all that cy's like Air Mauritius, Singapore Airlenes, Thai, MH, etc..... stopped serving BRU.
Recently, i booked a flight from BRU to MNL (Manila), (C-class) and found out that EY had expensive fares ex BRU, but Euro 1200,00 cheaper ex CDG.
Knowing the price of a TGV ticket from Brussels MIDI to CDG is max Euro 200,00 return, and a travel time of 1H30, it would be extremly stupid to book ex BRU iso ex CDG.
Appanrently, airline companys serving BRU still think that there is no or less competition ex BRU, so they can higher the prices.
Wishfull thinking ofcourse, with CDG, AMS and FRA so easy reachable by train.
No surprise they can not fill up their planes (C class) and quitting BRU as a destination after a while.
Nothing to do with BRU airport, but bad marketing from those operators.I would have prefered flying ex BRU, but not for Euro 1200,00 extra,I take the extra travel by train with a smile, knowing what i saved moneywise.

[Conti764]

Hey,

It does not surprise me at all that cy's like Air Mauritius, Singapore Airlenes, Thai, MH, etc..... stopped serving BRU.
Recently, i booked a flight from BRU to MNL (Manila), (C-class) and found out that EY had expensive fares ex BRU, but Euro 1200,00 cheaper ex CDG.
Knowing the price of a TGV ticket from Brussels MIDI to CDG is max Euro 200,00 return, and a travel time of 1H30, it would be extremly stupid to book ex BRU iso ex CDG.
Appanrently, airline companys serving BRU still think that there is no or less competition ex BRU, so they can higher the prices.
Wishfull thinking ofcourse, with CDG, AMS and FRA so easy reachable by train.
No surprise they can not fill up their planes (C class) and quitting BRU as a destination after a while.
Nothing to do with BRU airport, but bad marketing from those operators.I would have prefered flying ex BRU, but not for Euro 1200,00 extra,I take the extra travel by train with a smile, knowing what i saved moneywise.

Maybe they gave up BRU and think 'Every 1200 euro payed by a fool is another 1200 euro extra?'