BRU summer 2010: latest news, routes, airlines

[FLYING CARPET]

Removed after claim made by Geert Sciot, Brussels Airlines spokesman.

[Stij]

Mmmm, maybe a bit to positive: Lagos, Kano (I think), Nouackchott (short period), Libreville and Brazzaville used to be recent Sabena destinations as well.

Cheers,

Stij

[Atlantis]

Removed after claim made by Geert Sciot, Brussels Airlines spokesman.

I agree with you Teach.

The day after Brussels Airlines participated Star Alliance they said they will fly to one new African destination and this in combination with more flights to excisting destinations and more single flights. That's why I also have my questions about the four destinations with one single extra aircraft.

PS: Brussels Airlines was not announcing this destination because AF/KL is very curious about SN African routemap. And SN play it right in this. I think they will not happy with this and I can assure you that they are reading this. Besides they still don't have this 5th aircraft.

PS2: a week or two, the aviation site Flightlevel was accusing this site Luchtzak because of the huge amounts of leaks when the topics are about Brussels Airlines. I saw that they have removed that sentence in meantime. (Maybe Luchtzak was angry about that accusation).

[Conti764]

Mmmm, maybe a bit to positive: Lagos, Kano (I think), Nouackchott (short period), Libreville and Brazzaville used to be recent Sabena destinations as well.

Cheers,

Stij

Could be, I have my information from wikipedia, usually a good source in these matters

[nordikcam]

I'm sure that SN had fligts to Kano and Niamey ( Niger ) too, around years 70 !

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Regarding new african SN destinations : confirmation & source please...

[HighInTheSky]

Wait, wait, wait guys!

SN not revealing all plans at this moment has a reason... As Atlantis said, there are enough leaks already...

Let's just wait until there is a press release...

I'm sure that everyone knows some things about his or her company, but the reason that we are not putting all of this online is quite obvious. You can harm a(your) company more then you think!

But that's only my opinion...

[tolipanebas]

So far, we've been told here that SN would serve one new destination, and now suddenly you say they'll serve four? Not saying you're wrong, but you'll understand my skepticism when a new member here suddenly announces such potentially big news without sources, in two different threads...

....

The day after Brussels Airlines participated Star Alliance they said they will fly to one new African destination and this in combination with more flights to excisting destinations and more single flights. That's why I also have my questions about the four destinations with one single extra aircraft.

I don't want to get too involved in this discussion, but let's just bring some factual consideration into it, so as to provide guidance in making up your mind:

As you all know, SN currently serves 14 destination with just 4 planes.

it's no secret especially the Central and West African destinations are very lucrative, but unfortunately they don't have high frequency/capacity needs since pax demand on those routes is traditionally rather limited, so it's no surprise SN operates only 2 daily routes: DKR and FIH, both of them combined in triangular flights with another (alternating) destination. All of their other destinations are always served through triangular flights with alternating destinations too, thus giving most places about 3 weekly frequencies.

In this context, I'd love to see how you could make any sense from the idea they'd be adding a 5th plane only to serve a single additional destination? Not only would that be a very costly operation then, where all the financial risk of adding a 5th plane is then concentrated on the performance of that single route, but also would it have to be some BIG DEMAND route than (7 times weekly and non-stop)! If there were to be such a route in Central Africa, I'd love to know which one it is, yet I'm sure SN would have been serving it for a long time...

The obvious conclusion anybody with some understanding of the matter can come up with, is that this extra plane is indeed going to be used to add more than just one dot on the map, but that SN isn't all to eager to communicate on this, even though I don't think AF/KL or any other competitor will have a very hard time in coming to the same conclusions as I just did...

Also, as a final remark to those who prefer to hold on to what SN said: one should carefully consider their worlding too: they didn't talk about 1 'additional destination', but about a 'new destination'; that's not entirely the same, especially not since brussels airlines likes to profile itself as the successor to Sabena when it comes to the black continent.

[Atlantis]

You really underestimate the power of AF/KL. It seems that you don't know that they follow SN very closely when it comes about flights to Africa.... And I'm not saying more about this.

Like your coll said: you can harm your company very hard with posting internal information. But it seems that some people don't care about that.

PS: we are not saying that SN could not start up four new routes. But it's a lot even when they want to increase some other routes too.

[teach]

where all the financial risk of adding a 5th plane is then concentrated on the performance of that single route, but also would it have to be some BIG DEMAND route than (7 times weekly and non-stop)!

Whoever claimed they'd serve ONLY that new destination with the fifth plane? The way it was said thus far was they'd add a new destination AND increase frequencies to existing destinations. That's something completely different than the caricature you're trying to paint here of what we supposedly said...

[tolipanebas]

You really underestimate the power of AF/KL. It seems that you don't know that they follow SN very closely when it comes about flights to Africa....

In what way am I underestimating them?
In saying that they probably can read the intentions of SN far better than anybody else can?
I am highly confused now....

[sn26567]

It's no secret especially the Central and West African destinations are very lucrative, but unfortunately they don't have high frequency/capacity needs since pax demand on those routes is traditionally rather limited, so it's no surprise SN operates only 2 daily routes: DKR and FIH, both of them combined in triangular flights with another (alternating) destination.

In Sabena/Swissair times Nairobi was also served daily, either direcly from Brussels or via Zurich. Sabena and Swissair each had four weekly flights at different days. Now there are still 8 weekly flights by Swiss and Brussels Airlines combined, but there does not seem to be any coordination between SN and LX. SN flies thrice weekly on Sun, Wed and Fri; LX daily except Sun and Thu. Hence on Thursdays there aren't any flights.

There is room for improvement in the cooperation between Star airlines.

For information, LH routes its passengers via ZRH; and KLM has daily flights from AMS. Air France has no flights out of CDG (they codeshare with Kenya Airways).

Nairobi is an important destination in Africa for Americans, Europeans and Asians alike. It hosts the headquarters of a large UN agency, the United Nations Environment Program.

[Atlantis]

Qatar Airways released yesterdays its new S10 schedule. No BRU in the list.

And Qatar Airways revealed today its final two, secret, European destinations. It will be CPH and BCN.

CPH will get four flights with A319
BCN will get a daily flight with A330.

Both flights are going to start with the new summer season.

Pity for BRU.

[Schep]

ANA plans to add flights to Asia and start services to U.S. and European destinations.

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asa ... 60155.html

May be BRU ?

[RoMax]

I'm pritty sure, ANA will start BRU before they have 6-7 european destinations. Look at other big European airports. Most of them have service of JAL or a service of the home carrier to Tokyo. And ANA knows that BRU has potential, before the crisis they said that they will start a BRU route in the neir future but then there was the crisis.

[Atlantis]

ANA is already for years in the picture of BRU. But the time was not right to come to BRU.
But with SN to Star and the available space at BRU and the near cooperation with CO and UA they can do something.

[FLYING CARPET]

Wait, wait, wait guys!

SN not revealing all plans at this moment has a reason... As Atlantis said, there are enough leaks already...

Let's just wait until there is a press release...

I'm sure that everyone knows some things about his or her company, but the reason that we are not putting all of this online is quite obvious. You can harm a(your) company more then you think!

But that's only my opinion...

I am sue that no Airlines can start a route to e.g. ACCRA without KLM & LUFTHANSA hearing about this from either the local Authorities, Airport operator or handling......
Whatver action can/could be taken now by e.g. KLM - can surely also be taken by mid-february when flights will be shown in the reservationsystems.......

That said, obviously I can not reveal my source....

[MSS658]

My aspects on future TATL service, correct me if I accidently post anything that would't be right.

CO: Go to twice daily, or at least year around 777 on EWR-BRU. IMO I wouldn't be suprised to see IAH-BRU in the future. I think it could easily fill a 762. (Don't forget the only flight to the south US is the Delta flight from ATL)

UA: I think the 767's are the best oppertunity for both flights. (Don't forget ORD-BRU will get some of the ex. IAD-BRU traffic).

AA: ORD-BRU would stay 767, Don't know of the need of the JFK-BRU flight (How is that flight doing actually)

DL: An addition of DTW-BRU flight (wasn't this doing well wen NW operated it a short while). Don't know how long they wil keep the 767's on JFK-BRU. H How's that load doing?

US: maybe (ever..) CLT-BRU. It would drive some local traffic away from DL's flight from ATL. CLT is quite expanding now, but just dream on.... :s. Good thing of PHL-BRU going daily

TS: I acutally don't see any flights according to BRU timetable to eiter YYZ or YUL?

AC: Was looking and noted they will operate in S10 YYZ-BRU aswell
YYZ-BRU AC832 1234567 17:00 08:35 763 1206-2910
BRU-YYZ AC833 1234567 10:45 15:15 763 1306-3010

SN: Don't see them coming on TATL flights directly. if they come I suspect BRU-BOS, How would West-Coast fit for them.??


Note: except the TS/AC news, the above information is just my speculation on things.

[Atlantis]

Hi MSS658,

AA will maintain their B752 on the JFK-BRU route (S10 and w10-11)

DL upgraded again from B752 to B763 on the JFK route and this because they were asked again to use bigger metal on this route.

TS: you don't find them in the timetable because they are operating seasonal flights from YUL to BRU and this from April till end October. They will fly again this route this year with, mostly A310 metal, and this 4 times a week.

SN possible flight to NA is to BOS. New York (EWR is CO base, JFK could be).

CO we have to wait a little bit more after their announcement that they will not upgrade AMS.

[RoMax]

I think CO is waiting until they see results of the SN star entry. When they see the numbers of pax go up verry fast this summer, I suppose they will upgrade in BRU from next winter or summer 2011. Possibly a second daily flight (B752) or at least an upgrade to year round B772 and maybe even IAH. I think a non-stop flight BRU-IAH with a B762 must be possible.
Like Atlantis said, CO said that they will not upgrade anymore to AMS in the comming years and possibly even downgrade. They said that the Star-hubs are way more important now and they will get the expension for the comming years. So if you ask me, it's only a metter of time when CO will upgrade their BRU operations.