Brussels Airlines' fleet renewal

[Homo Aeroportus]

The first A320 arrived earlier this year, while two more plus an A319 will arrive in April 2016, with more due later.

Probably ATW means that next year the A320 will arrive first, followed by a few A319s

Or they refer to the one "received" from Thomas Cook earlier this year.
All in all, not a very spectacular development in 2016, to say the least.

My reading of this is :

* "The first A320 arrived this year" = 2015
* "two more" = + 2 additional A320 in April 2016
* "plus an A319" = + 1 additional A319 in April 2016
* "more due later" = more A32S arriving after April 2016

So in 2016 3 A/C identified by April, plus 1, 2, 3, 4, ... more.


H.A.

[convair]

Probably ATW means that next year the A320 will arrive first, followed by a few A319s

Or they refer to the one "received" from Thomas Cook earlier this year.
All in all, not a very spectacular development in 2016, to say the least.

My reading of this is :

* "The first A320 arrived this year" = 2015
* "two more" = + 2 additional A320 in April 2016
* "plus an A319" = + 1 additional A319 in April 2016
* "more due later" = more A32S arriving after April 2016

So in 2016 3 A/C identified by April, plus 1, 2, 3, 4, ... more.


H.A.

I think "more due later" means 2017 as only 4 Avros will have left by the end of 2016 summer season and

...(SN)... intends to replace the British-built Avros... with Airbus A319s and A320s, although not on a one-for-one basis, given the Airbuses’ greater capacity...

[OO-ITR]

On the forum airliners there is a topic going on, concerning the replacement of the Avro's. One of the participants says that the 319s will come from Frontier and a 320 from Vueling.

Vueling has 1 320 stored. C/n 3293

[airbuske]

It will be not C/N 3293

[OO-ITR]

It will be not C/N 3293

Ok but it will be an ex Vueling then...

[sean1982]

So the fleet will be shrinking rather than expanding?

[Jetter]

Seems so, but capacity will remain the same or slightly increase.

[Inquirer]

Not that I have any factual proof, but it could very well be possible that they will add all those airbus planes at the start of the year, and dispose of the Avro at the end.
Would even make sense to maximize revenues in the summer season and it would mean a huge capacity surge, in line with what has been announced already.
We now know for a fact they will add those airbus planes in April, but have we also seen a comment on what month the Avro are leaving? Or are we just assuming them to leave at the time of arrival of the Airbus fleet because they are said to replace them?

[convair]

@ Inquirer
Here is the answer:

OO-DWF will leave in April / May next year.
Next A320 will arrive in February / March....

and...

Some details on the Avros replacement are revealed in ATWonline:
The airline has 12 Avros on strength. They will start to leave the fleet next April, with four having departed by the end of the 2016 summer season. The remainder will gradually go over the following year....

[Inquirer]

Yes, I read all quotes carefully, which is why I am thinking they are indeed not saying the Avro's will leave at the same time their replacement arrives, like some people have interpreted it.
It seems to me that during next summer season they will fly with the extra airbus planes and (some of) the Avro's supposed to be replaced by them in parallel. Is that even possible, laborforce wise?
Anybody who can confirm this? And how much more seats does this represent?

[convair]

I share your interpretation.
During the summer season, SN has more (own) flights to more holiday destinations; besides, they operate an important number of charter flights with 319s and 320s, but also with Avros, some of these out of other airports than BRU (Nantes or Rouen, Toulouse, Paris...). If some of these are contracted for several years, it makes sense to keep several Avros until after the 2017 summer season.
They might have to hire temporary pilots for both summers as I guess they did this year.

[OO-ITR]

So what we know until now for 2016 :
- 4 avros will leave the fleet

- 3 ex-Frontier A319s will be added
- 1 ex-Vueling A320 will be added
- at least 1 A330 will be added

If this is supposed to be true, then it is quiet an impressive expansion if you ask me.
No wonder there constantly hiring...

[RTM]

It doesn't say 4 AVRO's will leave in 2016. Is says 4 will heve left at the end of the summer season. But that is not the end of 2016. Also, iit is mentioned that 2 more A320 will be added, besides the one already in service.

[Magiktrix]

Yes, I read all quotes carefully, which is why I am thinking they are indeed not saying the Avro's will leave at the same time their replacement arrives, like some people have interpreted it.
It seems to me that during next summer season they will fly with the extra airbus planes and (some of) the Avro's supposed to be replaced by them in parallel. Is that even possible, laborforce wise?
Anybody who can confirm this? And how much more seats does this represent?

If Bru.Air don't want any problems the A320/319 must be flying and the crew training should be well underway.
Having an Avro sitting on the ramp for a couple of weeks is not to expensive.
Having to wet lease aircraft, because the Avro as left, and your short on A320/319 cost a lot of money.
Contract pilot with an Avro rating are becoming very rare these days.
About the seats, the SNG will be in A320MAX configuration from 11/12/2015 but i don't know the planning for the rest of the A320.

[convair]

....Contract pilot with an Avro rating are becoming very rare these days....

SN doesn't need "contract pilots with an Avro rating": they have them flying every day!

This summer, they seem to have hired temporary A319/320 pilots; they might do the same next year and in 2017 until the Avro retire and the pilots become available for the Airbus.

Member Tolipanebas has repeatedly stated on this forum that all SN short/medium haul pilots have Avro AND A319/320 rating; so, where is the problem?

[Poiu]

Member Tolipanebas has repeatedly stated on this forum that all SN short/medium haul pilots have Avro AND A319/320 rating; so, where is the problem?

You probably misunderstood Tolipanebas, pilots are NOT dual rated Airbus-Avro.
Brussels A is looking desperately for Airbus contractors for next summer, but at the moment they are offering less than the going rate, which, for short term contracts, is close to a four digit figure per day for a captain.

[crew1990]

Member Tolipanebas has repeatedly stated on this forum that all SN short/medium haul pilots have Avro AND A319/320 rating; so, where is the problem?

You probably misunderstood Tolipanebas, pilots are NOT dual rated Airbus-Avro.
Brussels A is looking desperately for Airbus contractors for next summer, but at the moment they are offering less than the going rate, which, for short term contracts, is close to a four digit figure per day for a captain.

For the crew onbard the are 3 types of pilot and 2 types of cabin crew. The pilot are traîne for 1 type of aircraft, the cabin crew for 2 types.

Those are the categories

Pilot

Rj100 or a319/a320 or a330-200/a330-300

Cabin Crew

A319/a320 + rj100 or a319/a320 + a330-200/a330-300

[Avroflyer]

OO-SNG is on it's way back to Brussels from Prague having received it's A320MAX retrofit, OO-SNA is now in Prague for the same purpose.

The target is set for June 2016 to have the entire A320 fleet operating in MAX configuration

[Kapitein]

OO-SNG is on it's way back to Brussels from Prague having received it's A320MAX retrofit, OO-SNA is now in Prague for the same purpose.

The target is set for June 2016 to have the entire A320 fleet operating in MAX configuration

In what does this retrofit means?

[Avroflyer]

OO-SNG is on it's way back to Brussels from Prague having received it's A320MAX retrofit, OO-SNA is now in Prague for the same purpose.

The target is set for June 2016 to have the entire A320 fleet operating in MAX configuration

In what does this retrofit means?

The number of seats on the 320's is being increased from 168 to 180 and this by a reshuffle of the toilets into the back of the aircraft allowing for 2 extra rows of seats.