Lufthansa buys the remaining 55% of Brussels Airlines

[Boavida]

If the Germans would take off our belgian identity, I would prefer to fly FR,U2 above EW !

Same here! The Germans are treating us like little children from a developing country - what a difference with Austrian and SWISS!

Poor SN... A second Sabena is in the making...

[sn26567]

Welcome to Luchtzak, Ansett!

[Passenger]

I disagree with all statements like "LH wants to cash in" or "Poor SN" or "a Sabena remake".

Actually, the postponement of the decision with a few months is verrry verrry logical. At least, for those who understand what a take over is.

[Poiu]

It's not three months but 7 YEARS!..
The option has clear terms and conditions, it is clear that Lufti doesn't want to buy at the price which was ugreed 7 years ago.

[Flanker2]

The way I see this is that
1. LH was thinking to take-over LH and fully rebrand to EW, so they can gain mass quickly and efficiently to realise their dream of becoming the number 3 LCC in Europe.
2. Davignon and friends are against the EW rebrand and have made it clear to LH.
3. LH has said that they are not interested in negotiating and the take-over will be under their terms or nothing.
4. The king had to invite LH to come back to the negotiating table in the wake of the attacks and LH have been given partial concessions and an extension to the option term for 2016.
5. LH is using the option exercise extension to figure out a way to convince everybody. Either pay more money to force it their way or pay less and concede, stumbling on their goals to boost EW.

That would explain how this unrolled in the news media.

I wonder how much of a kick some of you LH fanboys will get out of seeing that Eurowings livery on SN planes. First the livery will go, then slowly but surely, the jobs.
The BRU market won't grow under EW, forget it.

EW will be just another choice between the other LCC's, Easyjet, Vueling and Ryanair.
I hope that Passenger will be as hardcore a fan of EW as SN, otherwise we will not have anything to talk about on this forum!

[Passenger]

It's not three months but 7 YEARS!..
The option has clear terms and conditions, it is clear that Lufti doesn't want to buy at the price which was ugreed 7 years ago.

There was no price agreed. Only a calculation formula was agreed.

Same applies for the "7 YEARS". It was agreed that the call option expires on 15th May 2017 (= my information - L'Echo says it's May 2018). It's only 27th April 2016 today.

[Boavida]

See what the new investors in TAP are already doing in a very short period of time for the Portuguese airline, and see what Etihad is doing for AZ and Air Serbia.
And compare that to the vulture attitude of LH !

Exactly.

Everywhere in Europe we see the 'legacy/national carriers' flourishing, with or without help from new owners/investors/airline groups. Practically all of these airlines are receiving new planes as we speak (B787's, A350's, B777's,... you name it).

And now look at Belgium... The last airline that still holds a reference to Belgium in its name, the successor of Sabena,... isn't even sure about it's own existence!

I swear, if LH decides to simply kill SN and "integrate" or "migrate" them into a bland, generic, soulless low-cost(!!) brand like EW, I will do everything not to fly with them - ever.

LH is the worst "partner" (lol) SN could have. It's the Swissair scenario all over!

[Airbus330lover]

For me..... clearly..... I fly SN and if the brand disapear.....i will fly FR or U2....
And for long haul, AF or KL, but surely NOT LH

[cathay belgium]

Hi,

Hope that LH is reading this and will be warned about our opinions.

CXB

[Airbus330lover]

Sure...and don't forget..... flying with cabin crew speaking dutch or french is bette for me... FR unterstood this too. And for long haul surely. It's german structure and minding... not for me

[sean1982]

I disagree with all statements like "LH wants to cash in" or "Poor SN" or "a Sabena remake".

Actually, the postponement of the decision with a few months is verrry verrry logical. At least, for those who understand what a take over is.

It continues



What do you mean with: those who understand what a take over is? That brands don't disappear in takeovers?
Go? Buzz? BMI? Continental? Northwest? Martinair? Shall I go on?

[Poiu]

Hi,

Hope that LH is reading this and will be warned about our opinions.

CXB

I don't think Lufti will be impressed by your warning. Nostalgia and sentiment have no much value in today's hard world of aviation business.
European aviation is consolidating, last year's fuel price gave a little bit of oxygen to some who were suffocating. There is a huge overcapacity storm brewing,which, if combined with rising fuel prices, an economic downturn or more terrorist attacks will lead to a bloodbath. Don't be surprised if you see some big names disappear in future.
SN can't survive as a niche player. The only future they have is integrating in a big group. It won't be the main brand though, it will be Eurowings, Vueling or Transavia/Hop. I am almost sure Norwegian will be forced out of business and wouldnt't be surprised if EZY and even FR would merge with one of the big 3.
This will bring long term job security for crew, airport and groundhandling staff in Brussels though, which is not bad after years of insecurity.

[koja78]

Non connected:
Recently I was playing around with skyscanner and I noticed that now.. from BRU you have about the lowest prices. Lower than AMS, DUS, CDG. Hence the success of BRU.

Connected:
Let's say SN is a pimped burger currently. ( actually a bit better quality than macdo.. what quick USED to be..but isn't anymore)
Let's say FR is macdo
Let's say EW is burger king.. or sooner KFCs (as I rate burger king better than macdo but EW not better than FR) = a brand known from when we are abroad but with no impact on the belgian market

If you now change pimpy-quick into the unknown KFC... knowing the belgian public and it's conservatism... where will they run to?

--> macdo... (FR)

Turning SN into EW will be PARADISE for FR.

[sn26567]

I'm pretty sure that the name Brussels will be maintained in one or another way. Either as Brussels Wings or/and as Brussels Airlines, with possibly a distinction between long haul and European flights. The Germans may be rational, but they are not stupid : if they see that there is a sentimental value in keeping Belgian roots, they will stick to the present name.

And one of the best guarantees for keeping Belgian roots is Viscount Étienne Davignon, a respected man with a strong character and deep convictions. I hope he is participating in the negotiations.

[avroflyer_1]

I'm pretty sure that the name Brussels will be maintained in one or another way. Either as Brussels Wings or/and as Brussels Airlines, with possibly a distinction between long haul and European flights. The Germans may be rational, but they are not stupid : if they see that there is a sentimental value in keeping Belgian roots, they will stick to the present name.

And one of the best guarantees for keeping Belgian roots is Viscount Étienne Davignon, a respected man with a strong character and deep convictions. I hope he is participating in the negotiations.

I'm not sure if they would keep the name for a sentimental value however LH has already confirmed that SN is a strong brand name and that there is a need for a Belgian anchor so in that perspective I'm quite optimistic about the future.

One can imagine 100's of integration scenarios for SN into the LH group or the EW group but the way I see it is that SN keeps it's brand but has a close cooperation with EW sits under the EW group umbrella rather than the LH group umbrella with perhaps some key (leisure) routes being marketed as EW.

If I have to do a calculated guess on the routes that could fall in the EW section based on what they have bookable out of BRU (albeit via STR) it would be : ATH, TXL, BIO, BUD, CTA, FAO, HAM, IBZ, KRK, LIS, MXP, NCE, OLB, SKG, FCO & VIE.

In a way it would be a bit more logical to dock SN into the EW group since in fact the 2 companies offer a very similar product with the exception that EW's best fare isn't exactly the same as the Bizz&Class product offered by SN

[sn26567]

In a way it would be a bit more logical to dock SN into the EW group since in fact the 2 companies offer a very similar product with the exception that EW's best fare isn't exactly the same as the Bizz&Class product offered by SN

Neither is EW's Smart fare the same as SN's Light&Relax: EW offers a meal in addition to the free checked baggage and seat selection.

[avroflyer_1]

Neither is EW's Smart fare the same as SN's Light&Relax: EW offers a meal in addition to the free checked baggage and seat selection.

That is what SN's Flex&Fast offers, isn't it André ?

Light&Relax is a bit in-between EW's Basic and Smart

[sn26567]

Neither is EW's Smart fare the same as SN's Light&Relax: EW offers a meal in addition to the free checked baggage and seat selection.

That is what SN's Flex&Fast offers, isn't it André ?

Light&Relax is a bit in-between EW's Basic and Smart

Which shows that the fares and classes are different all over the range.

[Jetter]

And one of the best guarantees for keeping Belgian roots is Viscount Étienne Davignon, a respected man with a strong character and deep convictions. I hope he is participating in the negotiations.

No it isnt. Remember what happened to The Société Générale de Belgique once he headed that company?

[DannyVDB]

Neither is EW's Smart fare the same as SN's Light&Relax: EW offers a meal in addition to the free checked baggage and seat selection.

That is what SN's Flex&Fast offers, isn't it André ?

Light&Relax is a bit in-between EW's Basic and Smart

I use often Flex&Fast. The most important reasons are certainly not the free meal, checked baggage and seat selection ... but the flexibility of changing without cost - e.g. cancelling without cost (!), taking an earlier flight - being more in the front of the plane, use of the fast lane and usually nobody between you and the other person in the row ... These things are really worth the price and for me flex is therefore more = (business - all the 'tralala' such a glass of champagn, 'real' meal ...)

Regarding the take-over by LH, here are my 2 cents:
1) That they delay the final decision now is just common sense in view of what happened and currently still has a major effect on SN. LH is a very responsible company, we are very fortunate that they not behave as some here on the forum suggest to be the 'right' behaviour/attitude ...
2) The reference to Eurowings makes sense, everyhting depends on how you implement: EW could take over certainly some routes, e.g. those that are more leasure oriented, but also start destinations such as the caribbean, Miami, Male or Mauritius. The business destinations and current loung haul could remain SN

Cheers,
Danny