Brussels Airlines' fleet renewal

[sn26567]

DWK just landed from it's last flight…

Hi Tom. Thanks for the information and welcome to Luchtzak!

[sn26567]

brussels airlines expands leased SuperJet service from June 2017

brussels airlines last week extended planned Sukhoi SuperJet SSJ100 aircraft operation into October 2017. The leased aircraft from CityJet entered operation with SN on 26MAR17.

SSJ100 aircraft will gradually enter operations on following routes on/after first week of June 2017:
Brussels – Bastia
Brussels – Manchester
Brussels – Stockholm Bromma
Brussels – Strasbourg

Source: Airline Route / Routes online

[teach]

brussels airlines expands leased SuperJet service from June 2017

brussels airlines last week extended planned Sukhoi SuperJet SSJ100 aircraft operation into October 2017. The leased aircraft from CityJet entered operation with SN on 26MAR17.

SSJ100 aircraft will gradually enter operations on following routes on/after first week of June 2017:
Brussels – Bastia
Brussels – Manchester
Brussels – Stockholm Bromma
Brussels – Strasbourg

Source: Airline Route / Routes online

Does this mean they'll add a fourth aircraft?

[sn26567]

No: the three SSJ100s are currently under-utilised.

[convair]

No: the three SSJ100s are currently under-utilised.

So, they have found a suitable aircraft to replace the Avros at Bromma.

[A330]

I have not seen any mention or announcement of this elsewhere, but someone on Airliners.net posted this on SN's fleet replacement last weekend:

"It turned out that the "replacement" aircraft for SN will be RR-powered A330-300, 4 ex-Cathay (2006-08 builts) and the rest ex-Singapore. The aircraft will be bought by LH and then leased to SN.

I have also been told that the Lufthansa Group is looking to place a group wide order to replace ageing A330/A340, 767/777 in case of OS, there may be something in it for Eurowings/SN. The aim is to finalise the order later this year or early next year, however this was too late for SN as their current A330s start to show their age."

Does anybody know more about this?

At first I was a bit dissapointed as this would not exactly be a very ambitious move. On the other hand, it does make a lot of sense. It would solve the urgency for the replacement on a short term as these second hand A330's might be available "soon". At the same time this allows LH group as a whole, so including LH, LX, OS, SN and EW, to study and select a good replacement for a lot of ageing aircraft: A330, A340 (if that is not planned yet), 767 and 777. That would allow a better deal, and with more uniformity across the group, even with a split order.

[sn26567]

someone on Airliners.net posted this on SN's fleet replacement last weekend:

It seems that this person is very well informed of what is discussed at board level at both LH Group and SN

[Airbus A330]

Thus, it would be 4 333 from CX & 3 from SQ for renewal of the 7 aircraft reaching EOL in 2018-2019.

[convair]

Thus, it would be 4 333 from CX & 3 from SQ for renewal of the 7 aircraft reaching EOL in 2018-2019.

If confirmed, it would be quite interesting! So, 7 "newer" 333 to replace the oldest birds, i.e.5 333 and 2 332 as a first step in the long haul fleet renewal.
I assume the 4 332 currently leased are here due to lack of affordable 333 availability. Does someone on this forum have knowledge of the cost/efficiency comparison of both types?

Btw, I was surprised to see the Bombay flight operated by a 333 today. Too early to draw any conclusion on the success of the new destination, I presume; probably 1 of the 4 332 needed a rest today.

[lumumba]

So Brussels Airlines will have no new aircraft...if they are built in 2008 than we will have to wait 10 more years.
Even TAP bought new ones..
That's sad ....

[stragke]

study and select a good replacement for a lot of ageing aircraft: A330, A340 (if that is not planned yet), 767 and 777. That would allow a better deal, and with more uniformity across the group, even with a split order.

I doubt the groups 777 will be replaced because most of them are brand-new.

[YYZ727]

Austrian Airlines' 777s have an average age of 16.4 years, according to Airfleets.net, not exactly 'brand-new'....

[stragke]

din't even know austrian had 777 thought most of the group had the -300 series and couldn't be that old.
So sorry for my mistake

[skumfiduse]

So Brussels Airlines will have no new aircraft...if they are built in 2008 than we will have to wait 10 more years.
Even TAP bought new ones..
That's sad ....

What's wrong with second hand aircraft? I believe it's more important to be able to make profit than paying high lease costs for shiny new aircraft. As long as cabin comfort is up to industry levels and improving the customer satisfaction, the age of aircraft is not important.

[sn26567]

What's wrong with second hand aircraft? I believe it's more important to be able to make profit than paying high lease costs for shiny new aircraft. As long as cabin comfort is up to industry levels and improving the customer satisfaction, the age of aircraft is not important.

Exactly. See what Stij writes about a recent BA A380 vs an older SN A330 in his latest trip report: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=61273

[DeltaWiskey]

I have also heard noises about ex-Cathay frames for the last 1,5 month, so there might be some truth in it. Since it doesn't concern an order, I doubt we will see a press release or even articles in major aviation magazines.

Does anyone know if Lufthansa has to announce the purchase (or intent) of 2nd hand A330's, as a publicly traded company?

[JOVAN]

brussels airlines expands leased SuperJet service from June 2017

brussels airlines last week extended planned Sukhoi SuperJet SSJ100 aircraft operation into October 2017. The leased aircraft from CityJet entered operation with SN on 26MAR17.

SSJ100 aircraft will gradually enter operations on following routes on/after first week of June 2017:
Brussels – Bastia
Brussels – Manchester
Brussels – Stockholm Bromma
Brussels – Strasbourg

Source: Airline Route / Routes online

This morning SSJ100 to Vienna.
Very nice plane, comfortable, not noisy ; very OK.
Crew was nice (only 2 F/A) , need to train their Dutch (and should add German for Austrian customers)

happy to see that Russia makes this planes, a long way from Tupolevs, Illioushins,..

[Sai]

Crew was nice (only 2 F/A) , need to train their Dutch (and should add German for Austrian customers)

...and Swedish, and Spanish, and Lingala, and...

[Inquirer]

Without being able to comment on substance, since I don't know what their fleet renewal is about, I'd just like to add a small comment regarding the observed expectations some here have.
It seems to me like some only deem factory new planes worthy for their beloved company?!

Allow me to say such is a little bit superficial, since those people clearly haven't thought the 2 options over and are just being guided by the adrenaline they'd love to finally feel when they'd read up on a significant new order being placed by Brussels Airlines in the international press.

Let's think it through for a second, shall we, to see if such would really be such great news?

If they'd place a new order with Airbus soon, it would mean they'd get to a situation where they'd make nice headlines with for sure for a couple of days, but then they'd see those planes tickle in one by one in say 1 or 2 years from now.
In other words: they'll be stuck with a large batch of the old ones for quite some time still!
As ironic as it may sound at first, but a new and spectacular order probably wouldn't really lower the average age of the fleet much during the first couple of years, indeed!

in contrast, if they'd go for what is rumoured to be the case above, it would probably allow for a much quicker replacement of their oldies by swapping them almost simultaneously and thus see them end up with an average fleet age far lower than what it would be ico a one-by-one replacement by newbuilts!
Not to mention the financial picture may look better too after it's done.

I would say that if they are indeed intending to replace their current planes by identical (but better performing) models, then as a general rule it wouldn't make too much sense to pay extra for newly built planes, especially not if it also means waiting for them longer and slower to arrive.

I know its a sobering and dull analysis for aviation enthusiasts who'd love to see the very best and the very newest come to their airport too, but let's use our common sense: for what they (only) need, and need fast, this rumoured plan makes a lot more sense to me.

We'll find out when the time is right whether I'm right: any news yet as to when it will be make public?

[convair]

brussels airlines expands leased SuperJet service from June 2017

brussels airlines last week extended planned Sukhoi SuperJet SSJ100 aircraft operation into October 2017. The leased aircraft from CityJet entered operation with SN on 26MAR17.

SSJ100 aircraft will gradually enter operations on following routes on/after first week of June 2017:
Brussels – Bastia
Brussels – Manchester
Brussels – Stockholm Bromma
Brussels – Strasbourg

Source: Airline Route / Routes online

A bit strange that the initial contract was for such a short period of time, then.