Brussels Airlines in 2019

[sn26567]

If SN fails to reboot, they will go back to the EW umbrella and African routes will be plundered by the other remaining network airlines. If they succeed, they might be allowed back at LH's grown ups table and reap the benefits of group membership.

SN will not fail to reboot. This morning, CEO Christina Foerster and CFO Dieter Vranckx both said that SN WILL reach an 8% EBIT margin in 2022, whatever it takes to get there.

[Poiu]

SN will not fail to reboot. This morning, CEO Christina Foerster and CFO Dieter Vranckx both said that SN WILL reach an 8% EBIT margin in 2022, whatever it takes to get there.

Saving 10% will be very very hard, if not impossible!
If it would be that simple, why have they been throwing away all these millions during the last 18 years??
Despite a boom in aviation, low fuel prices, state aid, a reshuffle of investors money and Lufthansa support, SN has been loss making during almost their entire existence. I honestly don’t believe in the miracle they will need to achieve 8% EBIT in three years.
The answer Christina and Dieter gave was an avoiding one, because they didn’t want to answer the “what if we don’t achieve 8%” question.
Year after year I hear the same story, we will be profitable in two or three years from now, but we never achieve the set targets, I am afraid it won’t be any different this time.

[CTBke]

And.... yesterday on Flight LH1004...
Edition 10/2019 of the magazine.....
All the Star Alliance on the same page and.... no SN
Kayser CS if you don't want us, sell SN

Swiss on the other hand shows Brussels Airlines in the list of Star Alliance members, it's just lack of detail at LH

[Passenger]

Interview with Christina Foerster on public broadcaster VRT, Terzake, 7th Nov 2019:

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/Journaal-W ... -terzake/#

interview starts at 11min 45sec (total program time is 36min 28sec).

(no deeplink available yet)

[Jetter]

Brussels Airlines sees now as a ‘good time to reboot’

What does that even mean?

www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium- ... -airlines/

[Poiu]

Interview with Christina Foerster on public broadcaster VRT

Christina openly admitted the growth of the recent past was unsustainable, something young Sean and myself have been advocating here for years.

[Conti764]

Interview with Christina Foerster on public broadcaster VRT

Christina openly admitted the growth of the recent past was unsustainable, something young Sean and myself have been advocating here for years.

And maybe an answer to your previous question why SN wasn't making money for most of the past 18 years? The previous management wanted to reach profitability through (unrealistic?) growth. If wikipedia is right, SN Brussels Airlines looked like to be on the path of sustainable profitability before the VEX-merger.

So imho that's what todays SN has to be, an XL SNBA.

[BrightCedars]

SN will not fail to reboot. This morning, CEO Christina Foerster and CFO Dieter Vranckx both said that SN WILL reach an 8% EBIT margin in 2022, whatever it takes to get there.

My hopes are with you. The next two years will be particurarly testing with a slowing economy, the prospect of recession, and unstable local politics; although that last one might not have that much of an impact.

By analogy to a diet, sometimes people lose more muscle than fat and end up in a worst shape than they hoped.

[krs74]

Hello

When will the summer schedule of SN be released?
Anybody an idea about destinations like Almeria and Reus?

[sn26567]

When will the summer schedule of SN be released?
Anybody an idea about destinations like Almeria and Reus?

It was sais at yesterday's press conference tat SN is currently working on its S20 schedule. There should be little difference with S19, except that some leisure destinations might be flown less frequently.

[b720]

Cost cutting already visible. No more free complimentary meals and drinks on Flex and fast!

[RoMax]

Cost cutting already visible. No more free complimentary meals and drinks on Flex and fast!

Which shouldn't have come as a complete surprise, Flex&Fast has been on sale excluding complimentary catering since July (so even before the Reboot plan) for flights as from this winter season.

[lumumba]

I flew in fast and flex in August with complimentary catering included!

[flightlover]

I flew in fast and flex in August with complimentary catering included!

I think it is more to do with the time you ordered the tickets. If you have a ticket including a meal they just can't tell you last minute: "sorry but you will not get what you paid for."

[CRJ 900]

I flew on 25/10 F&F with complimentary service. The flight attendant told me the compl. serv. would stop on 31/10. My next F&F flight was on 5/11 and indeed no more drinks for free.
Don’t think it is the smartest decision. Not for the little cost itself but as a service for their customers who paid high priced tickets and as a general impression they give. Definitely compared to other airlines like LH, KLM, LX,BA,..
If they want to be a full and well respected network airline, they should act like one and not like a low cost like FR or EW. I don’t know the figures, but I cannot imagine this would be a big part of the 160 million € they want to save.
Rgds
CRJ 900

[saratoga]

Just a pure speculative question: let’s say Brussels Airlines is going bust. What happens with the slots? Does Lufthansa own them or will they be put back on the “market”?

[b720]

I flew on 25/10 F&F with complimentary service. The flight attendant told me the compl. serv. would stop on 31/10. My next F&F flight was on 5/11 and indeed no more drinks for free.
Don’t think it is the smartest decision. Not for the little cost itself but as a service for their customers who paid high priced tickets and as a general impression they give. Definitely compared to other airlines like LH, KLM, LX,BA,..
If they want to be a full and well respected network airline, they should act like one and not like a low cost like FR or EW. I don’t know the figures, but I cannot imagine this would be a big part of the 160 million € they want to save.
Rgds
CRJ 900

Fully agree..
Prices to GVA for instance start at EUR 289 o/w on flex and fast.. return flight is close to EUR 600! They can at least still offer drinks on short Flights! Not a good idea to cut on premium pax.

[Av24.be]

Just a pure speculative question: let’s say Brussels Airlines is going bust. What happens with the slots? Does Lufthansa own them or will they be put back on the “market”?

There has never been any indication that the airline will go bust ....

[Poiu]

There has never been any indication that the airline will go bust ....

That’s why Saratoga stated his question was purely hypothetical...

As for the slots: Sabena slots were sold to DAT (SNBA) for 1€ the day before the bankruptcy.
Kapitein is probably best placed to answer the question, but as BRU is not saturated, at least half of the slots are not very valuable.

[sn26567]

Prices to GVA for instance start at EUR 289 o/w on flex and fast.. return flight is close to EUR 600! They can at least still offer drinks on short Flights! Not a good idea to cut on premium pax.

Cutting the meals on F&F goes against what CEO Christina Foerster said at Thursday's press conference. She said SN should be positioned as a "quality airline", as opposed to a low-cost.