Brussels Airlines announces new short haul product

[Flanker2]

I think that SN-followers (it's a sect ), objective people (I consider myself to be so) and SN-opponents, all seem to agree that this move didn't come about if SN wasn't feeling the pressure, despite higher traffic numbers.

I'm glad that this debate is civilised as it is, despite the explosive potential of the subject.

The FY2014 balance sheet will be interesting to see indeed.

One thing one should also consider, is that higher traffic numbers at the sacrifice of lower fares bring a higher efficiency in terms of fixed costs, but also bring an undesired side-effect: increase in variable costs. More fuel, more maintenance (cabin items get worn faster), more handling fees, more customer service resources, more overhead costs.

[airazurxtror]

In brief, the low fares without the stress of the LCCs.

I'm sorry : what stress ?
I bet Gustin has never taken a Ryanair flight and doesn't know what he speaks of.

L. Redeligx gave an example: a passenger unable to print his boarding pass at home (no more ink in his printer) and obliged to pay 50€ at the airport to have it printed.

And there is also the run to have a good seat on the aircraft. With SN seats can be pre-selected 24hrs in advance.

As I said, they don't know what they speak of.
- a Ryanair customer can print his boarding pass 31 days before the flight (if he has bought the seat of his choice) or 7 days before the flight if he hasn't. Plenty of time to buy ink for the printer.
- as he seems not to know it, I have the pleasure to inform Mr Redeglix that all Ryanair passengers have now a seat number printed on their boarding pass. There is no run to get a "good seat" on the aircraft.

[sean1982]

On top of that, with FR's new app, you don't need ink in your printer anymore. Boarding passes can now be displayed on your mobile device, no need to print, no more charges to be paid

[Inquirer]

all Ryanair passengers have now a seat number printed on their boarding pass.

Indeed, but do you get to choose it, or is it just randomly assigned by the system?
I prefer to choose, because I often fly alone and always try to get the seat next to the corridor as much up front as possible for personal convenience.
If however you need to pay extra to get this kind of seat whereas at brussels airlines it seems you don't have to, than it's definitely one good example of a product differentiator.
Also, it seems they will still check you in free of charge at the airport itself, if I got that right?
Now THAT's a huge indirect product differentiator in fact even, as it implicitly means there are simply no financial penalties whatsoever if and when you don't manage -or simply forgot- to do it yourself a couple of hours before coming to the airport, be it via PC and printer, or via your own smartphone.
Seriously, no need to snub at all this: for a price as low as 69 euro return, brussels airlines are apparently willing to offer more service in the low cost segment than ryanair has come up with in all of their service improvements over the past months, so if anything, this should stimulate other low cost carriers to raise their standards further to the better benefit of us all.
Customers definitely appreciate the increased availablitly and accessability of better products vs the discomforts of the typical low cost operations, as demonstrated by the double digit growth brussels has been posting since the start of this year.

[webstermc]

2 years ago, I already used the standard app 'Passbook' on my Iphone for travelling with Brussels Airlines.

So for me, also no printing tickets anymore for when when flying with SN brussels (next flight with them, next october to Edinburgh).

But first my summer holiday in August to Dalaman with Neckermann. Don't know which airline will perform the flight.

[Inquirer]

2 years ago, I already used the standard app 'Passbook' on my Iphone for travelling with Brussels Airlines.

I suppose most frequent flyers use their smartphone these days as it makes it far easier to complete a self-check-in process indeed, so it's definitely a good concept.

As we have discussed in another topic some time ago however, despite all the new methods ryanair has adopted for their check-in process, they still refuse to provide a check-in method free of costs at the airport itself (be it via a company terminal, via your own smartphone or otherwise) which is a deliberate nuisance in case you have somehow forgotten to do it many hours before at home or at your hotel; the reason is of course they count on a certain number of passengers having no other option but to pay the very high airport check-in fee (isn't it 50 euro per person these days?): as others are now demonstrating, none of that is required any longer to be able to offer tickets as cheaply as they do, so it's definitely one of those nuisances which will have to go at them too; either they'll need to absorb the revenu loss themselves, or split it out over their ticket prices.

[airazurxtror]

as others are now demonstrating, none of that is required any longer to be able to offer tickets as cheaply as they do

Wait a minute here.
69 euros return (some say : +8 euros credit card fee, making it 77 euros) is not that cheap. You can find Ryanair and easyJet return tickets at less than that.
And don't forget it's "from" 69 euros.
What does it mean ?
Will all European destinations be at 69 euros, or only some of them ?
Will there be restrictions on the dates or on the length of stay (as is the case now) ?
How many seats at 69 euros ?
Why not sell one-way tickets, if they want to really compete with the LCCs ?
Nothing is clear at present. We'll have to wait until mid-august to see how it turns out.
Let's hope the SN package will be really interesting. I am all for competition !

[tolipanebas]

Don't you worry, you'll see ample seats available as from 69 euro return and what's more: you'll even be able to lock your seat for a brief period as you check for other options elsewhere on the same date should you be afraid it will be gone by the time you've figured out others are indeed more expensive.

[Passenger]

Don't you worry, you'll see ample seats available as from 69 euro return...

De Standaard confirms this in a neutral test: they've compared 03-10 February 2015, Brussels-Lisbon-Brussels

Brussels Airlines : 69,00 euro Check&Go
Ryanair : 69,98 Euro including preseating (non-exit seat)
Ryanair : 59,98 Euro excluding preseating

http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140716_01181447

[airazurxtror]

Maybe the Standaard has special conditions - but I have just checked and, for the basic customer :
BRU-LIS-BRU on 3 - 10 february 2015 is, at the moment, priced as follows :

Brussels Airlines : 106,95 euros if paid with credit card - 98,95 with debit card.
Ryanair (no preseating) : 61,18 euros with credit card - 59,98 with debit card.

You'll have to wait until mid-august before being able to get - hopefully - that 69 euros fare ...
Let's wait and see !
(I guess that many will refrain from making now a Blight booking for after 1st september, waiting for the new fares to be in application !)

[Lysexpat]

Don't you worry, you'll see ample seats available as from 69 euro return and what's more: you'll even be able to lock your seat for a brief period as you check for other options elsewhere

That is what I call an extra mile, if it is for free!

[RoMax]

Initially SN said they weren't phased by the arrival of FR at BRU and their regular passengers where happy enough with their current pricing policy with B.light starting at 99EUR and they would happily pay that for the "extra service"

We're 5 months down the line and they are allready changing strategy ... smells like desparation mode to me.

The new upcomming European offer was already announced in January and market research and development of the new offer started more than a year ago.

[RoMax]

Once again the 2014 balance sheet will reveal the thruth. Anyone remembers the profit which was forecasted for 2014 in the famous " beyond 2012-13" plan?

The original plan was I believe a minor profit (I believe not more than 20 million), but by mid-2013 (which was not such a good year financially, that's why they intensified their savings and imposed a new strategy by end of 2013) already reduced to break-even. After Vueling and Ryanair announced their bases, the CFO (chief financial officer) of Lufthansa said they do not expect SN to turn a profit or even break-even this year and it will have to be seen how SN will handle the intensifying LCC competition. SN later confirmed in early 2014 that indeed they are not planning to be profitable this year and instead invest in their market share, the new strategy and improved service (such as the major investment in the new lounges). Meanwhile we are several months later and I don't know if they said anything new since then.

[Flanker2]

Comments on airliners.net not very positive, not surprisingly though.

Also, I wonder if it's a good idea to rebrand the B.light, B.flex and B.business in all those "ass & boobs" like names that can't seem to get my interest enough to make me remember.
For all I care, adding B.cheap or B.fun would have been sufficient. They worked and invested for years on those B. brands , and now sweesh, they're gone as if they never existed.

So yeah, SN is definitely (over)reacting to the LCC situation in BRU, with good cause, but IMO in the wrong way. Focus on the core longhaul market damnit!!!

[sn26567]

On top of that, with FR's new app, you don't need ink in your printer anymore. Boarding passes can now be displayed on your mobile device, no need to print, no more charges to be paid

Do you really need a special app to display your boarding pass on your smartphone. SN sends an e-mail with a link to an internet website.

[RoMax]

On top of that, with FR's new app, you don't need ink in your printer anymore. Boarding passes can now be displayed on your mobile device, no need to print, no more charges to be paid

Do you really need a special app to display your boarding pass on your smartphone. SN sends an e-mail with a link to an internet website.

Either that or you can save it on your phone (via Passbook for example), I don't know how it works with FR though.
Btw, did SN say something about their to be launched mobile app they talked about some time ago?

[sean1982]

On top of that, with FR's new app, you don't need ink in your printer anymore. Boarding passes can now be displayed on your mobile device, no need to print, no more charges to be paid

Do you really need a special app to display your boarding pass on your smartphone. SN sends an e-mail with a link to an internet website.

What the hell does it matter whether it's in your email, passbook or through an app?? On your phone is on your phone. Point.

Another example of you being unbiased?

[RoMax]

Comments on airliners.net not very positive, not surprisingly though

Almost all these comments are made by.people that obviously did not take the effort to.read the 'content' of the new classes. They are not realising that Check&Go includes some free options that are not typical LCC. They are not realising SN upgrades their catering concept(pre-order in the cheapest two classes and updated free offer in flex and biz), passenger will be able to change to an earlier flight the same day free of charge in light, the hand luggage allowance goes to 12kg, passengers will be able to select their seat while booking in all classes except check&go, the new booking engine will give the passengers better options to find and secure their prefered fare, the new frequent flyer program will be worth being a FF member again when flying in Europe only, etc.
The only vallid comment for me is that of one-way fares.

Though I agree with you on the names, they are not as easy to remember and I don't think they sound that good...

So yeah, SN is definitely (over)reacting to the LCC situation in BRU, with good cause, but IMO in the wrong way.
Focus on the core longhaul market damnit!!!

They are responding tot changing market conditions. I would be more worried if they just continued doing business like the past years. Leaving aside the discussion whether their development in Africa and the rest of the world is sufficient enough ()I know your answer, so that's why I leave aside that matter), you can't build a strong long haul network without the vast foundations of a EU network ()even with SN's large portion of destinations with a low transfer rate). This change in EU was needed to avoid being even more irrelevant in Western European air transport

[sn26567]

And there is also the run to have a good seat on the aircraft. With SN seats can be pre-selected 24hrs in advance.

Which run are you talking about?? Instead of 24 hours in advance, passengers at FR can book a seat 7 days before departure or be assigned one for free.

Even if everybody has an assigned seat, there is still a rush to be first on the plane in order to be able to store hand baggage in the overhead bins and avoid it being transferred to the hold by lack of room. Come on, sean, as a steward you are witnessing that every day, don't you?

[sean1982]

And there is also the run to have a good seat on the aircraft. With SN seats can be pre-selected 24hrs in advance.

Which run are you talking about?? Instead of 24 hours in advance, passengers at FR can book a seat 7 days before departure or be assigned one for free.

Even if everybody has an assigned seat, there is still a rush to be first on the plane in order to be able to store hand baggage in the overhead bins and avoid it being transferred to the hold by lack of room. Come on, sean, as a steward you are witnessing that every day, don't you?

Actually no I dont: most people dont care to leave their bag at the bottom of the steps as long as it is free. An issue SN will face as well with allowance 12kg's of handluggage, but if they do it it's probably ok