Brussels Airlines in 2026

[DannyVDB]

Brussels Airlines in 2017
Brussels Airlines in 2018
Brussels Airlines in 2019
Brussels Airlines in 2020
Brussels Airlines in 2021
Brussels Airlines in 2022
Brussels Airlines in 2023
Brussels Airlines in 2024
Brussels Airlines in 2025

Hi all,

Start this new topic since I have some questions on the use of the short-medium haul fleet from 2026 onwards.

We already know that 3 more A320neo will join the fleet (with one arriving end of this year). Two of these will replace A319 that will leave the fleet. One for expansion. So I have some questions:

Birmingham will be axed (there were only 6flights/w, nevertheless). So where would they use this capacity and the additional capacity from the additional A320? More frequencies, or also new destinations?

I saw that SN is regularly flying to Harstad, Norway (EVE) under a SN1xxx number, I guess these are charters. Is there a market to Northern destinations such as Rovaniemi, Harstad, ... (more tourism, but also business)? Other destinations (e.g. Cabo Verde)? We are working on a new project proposal and it seems Scandinavian countries are actively looking into the possibilities of additional tourism (avoiding over-crowding like in Southern Europe) ...

Of course, with smaller planes such as A220-100 they could open destinations (again) such as Bremen, Torino, Bristol, Billund, ... But not with A319, A320, A220-300 ... Just too big.

Which destinations would deserve additional capacity?

A related question: with ITA being integrated more and more, how would they split flights to Rome and Milan (to optimize)? Would they eventually apply the same as they do now for Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich?

Any insights?

Danny

[rwandan-flyer]

Cabo Vere it's mainly leisure and VFR market, but the biggest majority of airlines serving Cabo Verde are low cost and leisure airlines. There are few hub and spoke airlines. Only TAP Air Portugal, Royal Air Maroc, Azores Airlines, Air Senegal, Cabo Verde Airlines. There is a strong point to point demand between Cabo Verde and Europe and Cabo Verde and Boston (55 000 pax for the point to point between Praia and Boston in 2024).

During some periods Cabo Verde Airlines had a good network : Spain, Italy, France, Netherlands, Brazil, USA. They have added Nigeria under Icelandair management.

However the demand is already well filled by several low cost for Europe. About North America TAP Air Portugal, Azores Airlines (i don't konw if they make a huge amount of connecting) and Royal Air Maroc provide connecting. Till mid 2000s, South African Airways served the SAL Espargos airport with flights to USA. It started during the Apartheid because most Africans countries have refused the over flying of SAA aircraft between South Africa and Europe.

Yield is not probably high (meaning no huge demand for premium passengers) that's probably for this reason that Iberia, Air France, Swiss Airlines don't serve Cabo Verde. They prefer to send their LCC (Vueling, Edelweiss Air, Transavia FR). Even no signal from Ethiopian or Turkish Airlines despite they have huge network in Africa. Demand from Asia is too weak.

So yep probably Brussels Airlines can serve Cabo Verde (targeting Espargos or Boa Vista), but i don't think that they will provide huge frequencies and they will target connecting with others Europeans and North Americans cities. You need to operate the return flight during the night if you want to catch connecting at BRU for the North American flights. But the market is already well covered by TAP or Royal Air Maroc. So mainly point to point.

Point to point traffic 2024 (TUI Be is already providing flights between Cabo Verde and Brussels):

Brussels Espargos : 26 861 pax
Brussels Boa Vista : 19 989 pax
Brussels Praia : 3 519 pax

[TimTam]

I am tempted to say that the A220-100 would be a welcome addition, but it does not seem to be in Mutti-Lufty's plan. I have the feeling they are more busy with the expansion of ITA anyway.

[oldblueeyes]

Let's do not forget that smaller airplanes increase the cost per seat mile heavily. Thus not only numeric, but as well yield demand needs to be there.

Overall the trend is to reduce number of smaller aircraft - Austrian, closest to SN in terms of Business Model and economics will start soon to reduce the number of E Jets.

Swiss shifted early a Portion of C100 / A221 to the larger 223.

For small aircraft "opportunities " the strategy seems to be total flexibility: external wet lease and yield needs to support 3rd party cost +profit pius own profit.

[DannyVDB]

Exactly what I thought

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/luft ... heatwaves/

I think other destinations might follow ...

Cheers,
Danny

[oldblueeyes]

Scandinavia was until recently friendly 5 Star territory. Now with SAS moving towards SkyTeam and maybe one day Norwegian b ecoming a target for IAG, there is room to reconsider the Nordics.

[nathan_06]

I’am booking tickets for february and see that air baltic is still flying for Brussel. What are the plans with brussels Airlines and air baltic?

[oldblueeyes]

Lufthansa has a medium term wetlease contract with Air Baltic going on until end of the 2028 summer season, with a capacity of 21 aircraft during summer and 5 aircraft during winter season. The planes are allocated at different hubs , upon needs/priorities/ growth targets etc.
Within this portfolio, Brussels has 4 aircraft committed for each summer season for this and another 2 years.

[lumumba]

Lufthansa has a medium term wetlease contract with Air Baltic going on until end of the 2028 summer season, with a capacity of 21 aircraft during summer and 5 aircraft during winter season. The planes are allocated at different hubs , upon needs/priorities/ growth targets etc.
Within this portfolio, Brussels has 4 aircraft committed for each summer season for this and another 2 years.

Thx.

[oldblueeyes]

Nothing to thank.
The information is public, you just have to scroll the news section on the Lufthansa corporate page.

The bigger picture to me lookis like following:
- SN had a very hard fleet reduction during the pandemic - even the LH CEO had some side mentions afterwards that the reduction was to hard from todays' prospective
- growth via new aircraft is limited, Lufthansa had some deffered deliveries during the pandemic (imposed by the German socialist government of those days), the NEO engines issue appeared, 2nd hand aircraft became rare in the market -> the consequence for SN was to prolong A319 leasings above the planned dates thus having even less growth via 320->319 rollover
- the olution is Air Baltic, as the company is targeting 50% of the fleet to be engaged into wetlease operations - the large toedhold of 10% is helping for sure to strengtheen relations

Forward looking my assumption is that SN would look to get in smaller allocations additional A320NEOs in the coming years and i would bet that the arrival on the B737Max8 at Eurowings starting with end 2027 may open some windows to get additional A320 either newer CEO's or NEO (coincidentally Eurowings and Brussels share the same engines, thus here there would be a right fit) to replace the A319

[Atlantis]

Nothing to thank.
The information is public, you just have to scroll the news section on the Lufthansa corporate page.

The bigger picture to me lookis like following:
- SN had a very hard fleet reduction during the pandemic - even the LH CEO had some side mentions afterwards that the reduction was to hard from todays' prospective
- growth via new aircraft is limited, Lufthansa had some deffered deliveries during the pandemic (imposed by the German socialist government of those days), the NEO engines issue appeared, 2nd hand aircraft became rare in the market -> the consequence for SN was to prolong A319 leasings above the planned dates thus having even less growth via 320->319 rollover
- the olution is Air Baltic, as the company is targeting 50% of the fleet to be engaged into wetlease operations - the large toedhold of 10% is helping for sure to strengtheen relations

Forward looking my assumption is that SN would look to get in smaller allocations additional A320NEOs in the coming years and i would bet that the arrival on the B737Max8 at Eurowings starting with end 2027 may open some windows to get additional A320 either newer CEO's or NEO (coincidentally Eurowings and Brussels share the same engines, thus here there would be a right fit) to replace the A319

If you have a look at it, a lot will happen around 2027.

[convair]

Lufthansa has a medium term wetlease contract with Air Baltic going on until end of the 2028 summer season, with a capacity of 21 aircraft during summer and 5 aircraft during winter season. The planes are allocated at different hubs , upon needs/priorities/ growth targets etc.
Within this portfolio, Brussels has 4 aircraft committed for each summer season for this and another 2 years.

Looks like SN is not using them a lot. 2 of the 4 maily fly for Swiss and BT itself, 1 mostly for SN; 1 pt for SN.

[DannyVDB]

Not entirely correct ... Some that are dedicated to OS, LH, ... are also flying for SN; overall in summer season it is 4 of them.
D

[oldblueeyes]

Lufthansa has a medium term wetlease contract with Air Baltic going on until end of the 2028 summer season, with a capacity of 21 aircraft during summer and 5 aircraft during winter season. The planes are allocated at different hubs , upon needs/priorities/ growth targets etc.
Within this portfolio, Brussels has 4 aircraft committed for each summer season for this and another 2 years.

Looks like SN is not using them a lot. 2 of the 4 maily fly for Swiss and BT itself, 1 mostly for SN; 1 pt for SN.

Air Baltic has to provide the capacity, not a specific aircraft that stays during the night at a precise gate.
Crew exchange, aircraft exchange for maintenance, block hours optimistisation into their entire fleet are the invisible parts of the game.

[TimTam]

Off topic, sorry, but ACMI airlines seem to do well. Air Baltic, Smartlynx, ASL, HiFly, EuroAtlantic just to name of few. Too bad, Air Belgium did not successfully manage to exploit this market. (parenthesis closed)

[oldblueeyes]

The observation is correct and there are several good reasons for that:

- delay in new aircraft deliveries , Boeing had some stops both in narrow-, as well as in wide bodies deliveries, Airbus has delays due to less robust as desired supply chain

- engine issues : the new generation engines from PW are not that robust and re-work on them takes time, especially with shortage of parts; as well replacement or additional engines are in shortage, causing pressure on alternative and on delivery of new aircraft

- changed booking pattern : a lot of business demand got lost during the pandemic, thus seasonality is even higher for most traditional airlines, meaning that for the peak season capacity spikes are needed

[fcw]

Off topic, sorry, but ACMI airlines seem to do well. Air Baltic, Smartlynx, ASL, HiFly, EuroAtlantic just to name of few. Too bad, Air Belgium did not successfully manage to exploit this market. (parenthesis closed)

It’s a mixed bunch. Smartlynx and ASL are doing quite well, whilst Air Baltic is facing significant financial challenges, including negative equity, a cash crunch, and high debt levels. Without the big LH-group contract Air Baltic would, probably, be bankrupt.

[Tetris]

Due to the delay introducing the 12th A330, there is an alternative growth plan rumoured:

2026:
-Washington will not return, A/C can be used for growth on the existing destinations (and thus continuing expansion as planned)
-United increasing frequency from Washington, possibly even double daily (from daily today).

2027:
-12th and 13th A330 added to the fleet, return of Washington, possibly year round
-United back to single daily

Let's wait and see...

[DannyVDB]

Due to the delay introducing the 12th A330, there is an alternative growth plan rumoured:

2026:
-Washington will not return, A/C can be used for growth on the existing destinations (and thus continuing expansion as planned)
-United increasing frequency from Washington, possibly even double daily (from daily today).

2027:
-12th and 13th A330 added to the fleet, return of Washington, possibly year round
-United back to single daily

Let's wait and see...

And I assume adding African destinations in 2027 as well?

D

[FienV]

I think the priority will be to strengthen existing routes before opening new ones.