Brussels Airlines' fleet renewal

[pjms21]

Indeed, SSR arrived at the end of january if I'm not mistaken and is 'as good as' ready after the modifications but will enter into service around the 20th of feb. SSQ and SNA( in full livery but still wearing prev. reg. D-ALTC) arrived last friday feb 11th. They already started the mod's on SSQ so he will be in service quickly after SSR. It's quite busy in and in front of H117 these days but you hear nobody complain

[BrusselsAirlines]

I have heard rumours about a 6th A330, decision in a few weeks.

Anybody to confirm this news? Grtz

1rj85 OO-DJK has permanently left the fleet because of (too expensive) C-check, 4 others, normally planned to leave from april 2011 have been extended until...when? Nobody knows...

[dsa330]

DJK will leave on c-check to bacau on mondy it is still in service now for he's last days.
SSQ will be finished by the end of the week. old seats, old carpets and PSU's and stuff are out and beeing repitched to the new seat positions.

[BrusselsAirlines]

To come back after it's c- check??

[tolipanebas]

If I am not mistaken, DJK will be coming back to BRU after its C check in Bacau, but it will not be used anymore: it will be returned to lessor.

But indeed, I've heard 4 other RJ85s which were supposed to be returned too, have been extended, although their successors are coming in.... will be interesting to see what (new) routes they will be used on.

[RoMax]

But indeed, I've heard 4 other RJ85s which were supposed to be returned too, have been extended, although their successors are coming in.... will be interesting to see what (new) routes they will be used on.

BIO and PRG will both get an extra daily RJ flight and Hannover will be operated by RJ85 3 daily(to replace Q400), but that's not enough for 4 RJ's. So maybe another new route like Bordeaux?

[tolipanebas]

Well, the added frequencies are already loaded in the GDS, but the new routes aren't; if they are to launch new destinations beginning of April, it's about time to announce and start selling them!

[RoMax]

Well, the added frequencies are already loaded in the GDS, but the new routes aren't; if they are to launch new destinations beginning of April, so it's about time to announce and start selling them!

Indeed, if they are going to start something new, I expect we'll hear about it quite fast. Maybe it takes so much time because the decision to keep some more RJ's was made quite late?

[tolipanebas]

I've been thinking: part of the charter contract will also be covered with the RJs, so maybe SN isn't going to cut their scheduled capacity over summer as much as in previous years, hence the need for more planes?

BTW, does anybody know something about rumoured flights to TNG on the RJ?
If true, it would definitely explain the odd choice of flight numbers for RAK and AGA...

[dsa330]

DJK will fly from BCM straight to UK for repainting in white colours. Don't know where to. After that back to BRU for final EOL stuff

[SN1203]

Hannover will be operated by RJ85 3 daily(to replace Q400)

Says who? An aircraft type in the system doesn't say anything, what counts is your saleable capacity. Maybe it's too early to load the aircraft type... nobody confirmed that HAJ will be operated by SN metal.

maybe SN isn't going to cut their scheduled capacity over summer as much as in previous years, hence the need for more planes?

Assuming you're talking about July and August: if the current programme can be flown with the current fleet, why would less cutbacks mean you suddenly need a lot more planes? A lot of ad hoc charters just wouldn't be operated if the aircraft was needed for scheduled flights... and if you need these aircraft to have more flights on the scheduled network in July and August, what will you do with those aircraft once we've entered September again?

Well, the added frequencies are already loaded in the GDS, but the new routes aren't

Launching a new route today to start flying in April just doesn't make sense... A new route is different from a frequency increase on an existing route. So I'd be very surprised if something new would be announced now to start flying in the coming months.

[tolipanebas]

maybe SN isn't going to cut their scheduled capacity over summer as much as in previous years, hence the need for more planes?

Assuming you're talking about July and August: if the current programme can be flown with the current fleet, why would less cutbacks mean you suddenly need a lot more planes?

The current RJ program can hardly be flown with the current RJ fleet actually: as you know all too well, we have regular cancelations due to technicals and NO SPARE A/C available, so IF this scheduled program is continued over JUL and AUG more than it did over the last few years, while at the same time charters are flown with the RJ too, MORE planes could be needed: otherwise we can say byebye to our punctuality...

and if you need these aircraft to have more flights on the scheduled network in July and August, what will you do with those aircraft once we've entered September again?

Do we know WHY they have allegedly signed up for an extention of some RJs? Nope.
Nor do we know for how long that was: it could just have been for a couple of months...

Launching a new route today to start flying in April just doesn't make sense... A new route is different from a frequency increase on an existing route. So I'd be very surprised if something new would be announced now to start flying in the coming months.

With that I fully agree, hence it being even weirder to hear about those lease extensions...

Anyway, no new network routes this summer is another missed opportunity.

SN should seriously consider serving GLA again for instance: BD is about to halt their 6 daily LHR-GLA flights, thus in effect cutting GLA loose from the global STAR network! It would make sense if SN would link it in via BRU, which is in fact the nearest STAR hub. The feed from STAR partners serving Brussels as well as European connecting pax should be sufficient to sustain such a route 3 times daily, similar to NCL, BRS, EDI, EMA, LBS etc...

[diminbru]

I'm wondering about the two other A319's that will join the fleet.
There were talks (rumours) about an ex-Sabena one and also an A319 from Hamburg Intl. came up.
N595MS (ex OO-SSE) has been recently returned to lessor (GECAS)
and from 4R there are only two possible A319's left : c/n 3533 en 3560

[pjms21]

I think your Hamburg Intl. has a big chance to get the SN livery But I guess we
will have to wait until Geert Sciot makes a new announcement to be 101% sure...

[sn26567]

I think your Hamburg Intl. has a big chance to get the BA livery

Why should it get the livery of a competing airline, namely British Airways ?

[pjms21]

Oops, my mistake, of course I meant Brussels Airlines and I should have used SN instead of BA
Sorry!!

[diminbru]

I think your Hamburg Intl. has a big chance to get the SN livery But I guess we
will have to wait until Geert Sciot makes a new announcement to be 101% sure...

both of them? that would be cool because they are both rather new aircraft...(around three year if i'm not mistaken)

[Sikiri]

I'm wondering about the two other A319's that will join the fleet.
There were talks (rumours) about an ex-Sabena one and also an A319 from Hamburg Intl. came up.

Could anyone tell me why SN is that interested in those ex-Sabena aircraft. 5 out of 8 A319's and 3 out of 5 A330-300's are ex-Sabena.
Is it for maintenance records? -> There are enough well maintained aircraft out there, so this should not matter.
Or, for the galleys? -> Are the differences that big with other Airbus customers?

[RoMax]

Could anyone tell me why SN is that interested in those ex-Sabena aircraft. 5 out of 8 A319's and 3 out of 5 A330-300's are ex-Sabena.
Is it for maintenance records? -> There are enough well maintained aircraft out there, so this should not matter.
Or, for the galleys? -> Are the differences that big with other Airbus customers?

For 3 of the A319's and the 3 A333's there is a very easy explination, they were added to the fleet (in the case of the A333's first to Birdy who flew them for SN for a while) shortly after the bankrupt of Sabena so a lot of these aircraft were easilly available. And they didn't need adjustments for operations with SN (except for the paint and maybe some other things?), they were registered in Belgium,... So they were fast and cheap available.

For the other A319's there should be another explination.

[diminbru]

I was tracking the flights of OO-SSP and saw that the last flight was performed on the 29th of Jan. Could this be correct?
Did this A/C leave the fleet or are they changing the seats?