Brussels Airlines in 2024

[Conti764]

If BA/AA would have had the funds to invest in SN and SN would have ended up in OW back in '08 or '09, things might have looked entirely different. For SN it would have been a more logic partner due to alliance size and hub locations.

[rwandan-flyer]

When you see how British Airways and Oneworld have invested in Africa till late 2010s, it's probably a good thing that Brussels Airlines is in Star Alliance .

British Airways didn"t need to add Brussels Airlines. Kenya Airways, Egyptair, South African Airways or Ethiopian Airlines were perfect to join Oneworld late 2000s and early 2010s. If they have joined another alliance, it's not a coincidence.

But from late 2010s, they see that the demand with Africa is growing but British Airways by cutting many routes in Africa in last 17 years (Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar Es Salaam, Seychelles, Monrovia, Luanda, Freetown, Lusaka, Lilongwe, Harare), Oneworld has small network in Africa. They are lucky because Qatar Airways bring some airlines (Royal Air Maroc) but also a strong partnership with Airlink and RwandAir.

And now British Airways has code share with Airlink (South Afrrica) and Kenya Airways

Aviation: After many years of Snub Oneworld seeks partners in Africa, even Low Cost Carriers https://atqnews.com/aviation-many-years ... -carriers/ (2017)

[oldblueeyes]

If BA/AA would have had the funds to invest in SN and SN would have ended up in OW back in '08 or '09, things might have looked entirely different. For SN it would have been a more logic partner due to alliance size and hub locations.

Just look a little bit into the context of those years and check if SN would have ever been on the top of the BA agenda.

The big deals for BA was:
2009 - fusion with Iberia to IAG (some preparations time before to be considered)
2010 - establishing the TATL JV with AA

From a smaller, tactical prospective, the deal to be considered was:
2006 - BA sold BA connect to FlyBe against a stake of 15% into their equity

At that time, SN was mainly a regional company with a little bit of long haul, as the backbone of the fleet was the AVRO family. But BA was at no time interest into regional activities - BA connect was sold to FlyBe and 2011 as BA purchased British Midlands, the condition was to take over only the LHR long haul, without BMI baby.

In a nutshell, SN was below scope of BA's strategy at that time.

Let's not try to have romantic views by ignoring the facts and the circumstances.

[rwandan-flyer]

oldblueeyes is right. Each airline, each alliance has its strategy. In late 2000s and early 2010s, British Airways was focused to create a group to compete with Lufthansa Group and Air France KLM, mainly for the Europe and Europe and North America markets. Oneworld wanted to expand into Asia (Malaysia Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways joined the alliance in 2013).

Of course, you have SkyTeam but their presence in Africa was already very good thanks to Air France, KLM and Kenya Airways. Air France and KLM had already a good network in Africa with their own destinations (so no need to another EU airlines). Andwith Kenya Airways you can reach some markets in Africa.

Star Alliance had only Africans Airlines (which it can help you to reach some small markets) but not an EU airline with a good network in Africa to provide rapid connecting in Europe for European and North Americans markets.

Everything is not perfect, but i m not sure that Brussels Airport would have such capacities with North America with up to 8 daily flights (if i m right) to Chicago, New York, Washington, Montreal, Toronto during the peak period in summer, if SN would not have joined Star Alliance. And this by focusing only on Africa North America for the long haul. I don't include Delta Airlines and Air Transat flights.

The arrival of more A330s will bring more opportunities for Brussels Airlines. But i would say, do the thing step by step. Since mid 2010s, so many (small, big, old, new) airlines have fallen: Thomas Cook, FlyBe, Air Berlin, Alitalia, Germania, WOW Air, Norwergian Air Shuttle, XL France, Aigle Azur,...

SN has closed 2 destinations in 22 years in Sub-Saharan Africa!!! (Bamako and thus Luanda). No one do better if you see Iberia, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM or British Airways

[Homo Aeroportus]

Good news !
OO-SFJ is just back from Manila. She will operate SN277 tomorrow 07DEC.

A welcome addition as even in the winter season the resources are limited. Today SN357 to FIH did not run, but as the cancellation was notified some 23 hours in advance I suppose the passengers were re-routed.
OO-SFX that was due to operate FIH has been put on the NBO service today.

H.A.

[Duke]

Good news !
OO-SFJ is just back from Manila. She will operate SN277 tomorrow 07DEC.

H.A.

Still in Eurowings colours?

[lumumba]

Good news !
OO-SFJ is just back from Manila. She will operate SN277 tomorrow 07DEC.

H.A.

Still in Eurowings colours?

New colors.

[OO-JFP]

Eurowings colours!

OO-JFP

[TimTam]

@lumumba - 21 November : no I do not hate SN, I hate the way it is being managed. Opinion supported by Jovan2 on 22 November.
Under the freedom of expression right, I will add that the current SN CEO DvB is probably sitting patiently in her CEO armchair, waiting for a promotion at LH (or LX ?).
The frustration among those accused of bashing when it is just expressing frustration is very well reflected at the end of the article on luchtvaartnieuws.nl about the A350's going to LX.
https://luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieuws/cate ... a350-vloot
As to AirHelp concluding that SN is the world's best airline...LOL LOL LOL.
Perhaps the best in complaint resolution (perhaps). The rest is a joke ! Or the result of something I do not dare to say, even under the freedom of expression right. Agatha Christie would have said : make your little grey cells work.

[lumumba]

@lumumba - 21 November : no I do not hate SN, I hate the way it is being managed. Opinion supported by Jovan2 on 22 November.
Under the freedom of expression right, I will add that the current SN CEO DvB is probably sitting patiently in her CEO armchair, waiting for a promotion at LH (or LX ?).
The frustration among those accused of bashing when it is just expressing frustration is very well reflected at the end of the article on luchtvaartnieuws.nl about the A350's going to LX.
https://luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieuws/cate ... a350-vloot
As to AirHelp concluding that SN is the world's best airline...LOL LOL LOL.
Perhaps the best in complaint resolution (perhaps). The rest is a joke ! Or the result of something I do not dare to say, even under the freedom of expression right. Agatha Christie would have said : make your little grey cells work.

Brussels Airlines is doing very well thank you.

[Conti764]

If BA/AA would have had the funds to invest in SN and SN would have ended up in OW back in '08 or '09, things might have looked entirely different. For SN it would have been a more logic partner due to alliance size and hub locations.

Just look a little bit into the context of those years and check if SN would have ever been on the top of the BA agenda.

The big deals for BA was:
2009 - fusion with Iberia to IAG (some preparations time before to be considered)
2010 - establishing the TATL JV with AA

From a smaller, tactical prospective, the deal to be considered was:
2006 - BA sold BA connect to FlyBe against a stake of 15% into their equity

At that time, SN was mainly a regional company with a little bit of long haul, as the backbone of the fleet was the AVRO family. But BA was at no time interest into regional activities - BA connect was sold to FlyBe and 2011 as BA purchased British Midlands, the condition was to take over only the LHR long haul, without BMI baby.

In a nutshell, SN was below scope of BA's strategy at that time.

Let's not try to have romantic views by ignoring the facts and the circumstances.

Back in those days SN was a potential target for BA and AA, but they dragged their feet and LH stepped in.

But it actually doesn't matter. SN would have had more logic within Oneworld then within Star Alliance, that's all I'm saying.

[Conti764]

When you see how British Airways and Oneworld have invested in Africa till late 2010s, it's probably a good thing that Brussels Airlines is in Star Alliance .

British Airways didn"t need to add Brussels Airlines. Kenya Airways, Egyptair, South African Airways or Ethiopian Airlines were perfect to join Oneworld late 2000s and early 2010s. If they have joined another alliance, it's not a coincidence.

But from late 2010s, they see that the demand with Africa is growing but British Airways by cutting many routes in Africa in last 17 years (Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar Es Salaam, Seychelles, Monrovia, Luanda, Freetown, Lusaka, Lilongwe, Harare), Oneworld has small network in Africa. They are lucky because Qatar Airways bring some airlines (Royal Air Maroc) but also a strong partnership with Airlink and RwandAir.

And now British Airways has code share with Airlink (South Afrrica) and Kenya Airways

Aviation: After many years of Snub Oneworld seeks partners in Africa, even Low Cost Carriers https://atqnews.com/aviation-many-years ... -carriers/ (2017)

I consider OW to have been a better option for SN based on the alliance size compared to Star Alliance and the role BRU could play. Contrary to Skyteam (AMS, CDG) or Star Alliance (FRA), the closest Oneworld hub - apart from saturated LHR - would have been MAD. Back in the 2000's BA had a sort of shuttle service LHR-BRU with multiple daily flights, so BRU could have been a reliever hub for LHR.

AA was to SN what UA is today and vice versa. It's no wonder AA pulled competely out of BRU after it lost SN's codesharing.
SN can consider itself lucky that it has a powerful and influential partner within Star Alliance - UA - that has a pretty solid operation in BRU and sees the added value of SN or it would have been Eurowings after all.

So why wouldn't Oneworld/AA/IAG have taken advantage of a reliable Africa specialist with a convenient hub to explore a (especially back then) underserverd continent?
It's not because they lack ambition in Africa that they wouldn't have taken the African experience of SN as an added advantage to BRU's location.

But it's all irrelevant now. SN is in Star Alliance and let's hope for the best.

[oldblueeyes]

Regardless of any alliance, the fact that geographically BRU is straight in the middle between LHR,AMS,FRA,CDG with their huge feeding networks makes any mainstream positioning decision difficult operationally.

Even if Qualiflyier would still exist today, it would be a fierce competition from Turkish in East and from TAP in Westafrica.

[Conti764]

Regardless of any alliance, the fact that geographically BRU is straight in the middle between LHR,AMS,FRA,CDG with their huge feeding networks makes any mainstream positioning decision difficult operationally.

Oneworld once even considered LX and ZRH as a reliever hub for LHR before they were acquired by LH. It ultimately fell apart because LX had too much overlap with BA, something SN definately hadn't. BRU could habe played that role as well.

It's true BRU is not well located in between those megaports so I feel BAC should focus on passenger experience, rather than pure growth.

[fcw]

Back in those days SN was a potential target for BA and AA, but they dragged their feet and LH stepped in.

Absolutely not, BA was never interested in SN!
You are probably confused by the fact BA was very close to open an Open Skies base in Brussels, they even had already recruited, Brussels based, pilots. Unfortunately the 2008-2009 financial crisis hit business travel quite badly and BA sold their their 757s instead of deploying them all around Europe (ORY, CDG, MXP, AMS, BRU, …) for Open Skies. They only continued flying ORY-EWR.
As for SN it was bankruptcy or sell to LH for whatever the Germans wanted to pay. There was no other candidate, although viscount D kept on searching desperately. You can continue banging the same drum for ever, but it simply isn’t true.

[Atlantis]

Look guys, aviation changed a lot since 2001, 2008 and 2019. It's not making sense to look all the time in the past. That's why it is the past. Nobody became wealthy by looking at it.

The situation is what it is today. You need to accept it and looking forward. If not, get lost.

SN will have the biggest long haul fleet of his whole history, it made already more years profit then Sabena and they will grow next year with 18%.

Let's support our small aviation we have in Belgium instead of practicing the national sport of Belgium which is complaining.

[OO-PDM]

OO-SSQ is scheduled to fly to SNN tomorrow as SN9909.
Is this for return to lessor?

[A321Lufthansa]

Maybe repainting?

[MD-11forever]

According to Planespotters, OO-SSQ is stored at LJU since 3 November?

https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/ ... nes/edk6nq

[Atlantis]

According to Planespotters, OO-SSQ is stored at LJU since 3 November?

https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/ ... nes/edk6nq

No, it's going for being repainted at SNN