Brussels Airlines in the newspapers this week

[airazurxtror]

http://www.tijd.be/nieuws/ondernemingen ... .art?ckc=1

Exctracts :

Brussels Airlines will reduce the number of European flights this winter and next to substantially reduce costs. Some 50 temporary contracts of aircrew was terminated on October 31.
"In distant locations we would like to grow. We continue to invest "said spokesman. He has "no knowledge" of plans to dismiss aircrew under permanent contract. "But that this society is having difficulty, I do not deny."
"We want a better balance between our European and intercontinental our offerings," he said. "January to March are the worst months for us. That is why we reduce the offer. So go this winter three Boeing 737.
Brussels Airlines shall enter in the footsteps of tour operators Jetair and Thomas Cook, a highly differentiated offer in summer and winter. "It does not mean that we do not invest. For example, we recently got a sixth A330 in the fleet and next year comes a seventh. "Both devices come from Swiss and serve to strengthen Africa offering. In June, Brussels Airlines will also fly to the United States, probably in New York.

Strike Notification
That does not prevent the company last week to be served a strike notice by the trade union front. They demand a higher basic wage. Attempt a reconciliation of the social mediator led to nothing. Thursday the representatives of the three trade unions consult and decide about possible actions.

Next year is definitely more difficult than 2011. This year the airline is heading off on a loss of 60 to 80 million, due to high oil prices and a series of setbacks in Africa due to political upheavals. The downward pressure on ticket prices because of overcapacity in Europe and the rising cost of Korongo project in Lubumbashi.
The deteriorating profitability of Brussels Airlines is at odds with the recent commercial success of the company. The last quarter the number of passengers rose by nearly 20 percent.

[DeltaWiskey]

The only new item in the article for me, is the 7th A330 arriving next year instead of this year... Apart from that, nothing new I'd say.

Well, temporary contracts are temporary, so I don't see the big deal of them being terminated.
And 50 people isn't much for a company of ±3500 employees, (percentage wise) certainly not in line with the reduction of capacity this winter, they're cutting more than 1,5%.

[tolipanebas]

nothing new I'd say.

That can be a recurrent remark about the reporting of the last few weeks on anything related to this topic.
Makes you wonder how much of all the other news we read in the press yet don't know any details of ourselves, is actually real news indeed, rather than simply old stuff heated over and over again, wrapped in a new lay-out, just to fill the paper...

The only new item in the article for me, is the 7th A330 arriving next year instead of this year...

I think you are confused there...
In fact, the 6th operating already now is not in line with what was first said, as it was ment to phase in 2 extra long haul planes as from next year, while there would be capacity cut on long haul during the overhaul of the 5 current ones this winter. Instead, SN took the decision not to cut capacity on long haul this winter and thus phased in the 6th sooner than it first said, hence your confusion, I think.

50 people isn't much for a company of ±3500 employees, (percentage wise) certainly not in line with the reduction of capacity this winter, they're cutting more than 1,5%.

They are cutting contractors in operational departments like flight ops (cabin), so its minus 50 or so on about 1,000 people.
Taking into account operations have been stretched to unsustainable limits this summer, a combination of both a lower working pace for those on permanent contracts and sending off the contractors, means there's a cut of far more than 1.5%... make it times 10 and you're near the real figure...

[airazurxtror]

Well, temporary contracts are temporary, so I don't see the big deal of them being terminated.
And 50 people isn't much for a company of ±3500 employees, (percentage wise)

Charming !
I think I begin to understand the unions when they ask for a bit more respect towards the personnel ...

[CTBke]

Well, temporary contracts are temporary, so I don't see the big deal of them being terminated.
And 50 people isn't much for a company of ±3500 employees, (percentage wise) certainly not in line with the reduction of capacity this winter, they're cutting more than 1,5%.

true but how do you explain the search for new CCM with and without experience via Brusselsairport.be and vacature?

in stead of leaving the temporary contractors at home during winter in order to come back for the summer season.

[Passenger]

I think I begin to understand the unions when they ask for a bit more respect towards the personnel ...

A bit more respect from the unions towards the passengers would also be nice. Because after all, a strike is nothing more then that they (the unions) are using us (the passengers) to get their demands.

[airazurxtror]

after all, a strike is nothing more then that they (the unions) are using us (the passengers) to get their demands.

A strike is often due to a failure of the management. A really smart and clever HR manager can nearly always avoid a strike.
But of course, the best managers go to the best companies : they don't go and bury themselves in Brussels Airlines ...

[cnc]

A strike is often due to a failure of the management. A really smart and clever HR manager can nearly always avoid a strike.
But of course, the best managers go to the best companies : they don't go and bury themselves in Brussels Airlines ...

i really wonder what your problem is... you hate sabena, you dislike and insult brussels airlines...
one could start wondering what aviation job and at what company you work for

[Passenger]

A strike is often due to a failure of the management.

No ! The decision to strike is always taken by the unions - and by them only. A strike never has a "cause" - only an aim or purpose (generally the aim is to get more money).

...really smart and clever HR manager can nearly always avoid a strike.

Check the BEL-20: most of these top companies had strikes in one or more divisions the last year(s). All caused by stupid HR managers, I assume?

[Squelsh]

A strike never has a "cause" - only an aim or purpose (generally the aim is to get more money).

.
I'll never forget that BAC strike.. Whole airport down for one mealvoucher extra per week..

[Flanker]

true but how do you explain the search for new CCM with and without experience via Brusselsairport.be and vacature?

in stead of leaving the temporary contractors at home during winter in order to come back for the summer season.

Its looks like the search is for new temporary contracts on direct employment instead of hiring contractors.

Don't contractors cost several times more to hire and isn't the purpose of the extra cost to compensate for the lack of job security as by definition they are hired to fill a gap?
If so, SN can just as well recruit them directly for every summer and save some money.
Given that contracting by definition offers no job security, unfortunately it's hard to blame SN if they want to employ directly and save money... in fact, one has to wonder why it wasn't done sooner.

As to the article, some interesting stuff.
Good to see that they see that there's overcapacity in Europe and that the yields suffered due to this. Hopefully they'll think twice, or better at least 1 million times before they consider another expansion with A319's (+ 4 this year, also +2 A320 but partly needed for Club Med).
The phase-out of the B737/Avro RJ is a unique opportunity to review the needs of the fleet to the demands of the markets served. Replacing B737/RJ directly by A319/A320 isn't the right move. There are too many routes in the European network where SN carries a lot of people with the B737/A32S without making any money.
It's better to earmark such routes and reduce capacity at first, then gradually increase frequencies with smaller planes such as turboprops.
I prefer a full turboprop with 72 passengers flying all the way to Barcelona making a few thousand euro's than a 80% full B734 carrying 130 passengers, flying at a loss.

[sn-remember]

I'm wondering how the CS300 compares with the A319 ?
Maybe an airline like SN should consider the lower end of jet a/c like the C series ?
LX has an order pending (30 firm + 30 options if my memory is good) I suppose SN could easily get a good deal from Bombardier.
Of course there is a place for turboptops on short thin routes.

[sn-remember]

Going on strike is a very bad idea ... Remember the last days of Sabena ?
As long as the work conditions permit, and a negociation path exist in case of "emergency" situation, striking should be avoided at all cost.. It runs against everybody's interest.

[Bralo20]

I prefer a full turboprop

Yes, we know that YOU prefer this. You'll told us a million times and we got it (more then once). Thank you. SN obviously doesn't agree with you and I'm pretty sure the customer doesn't agree with you also.

Please, if you really like turboprops that much I can give you the cell phone of a man called Joe McBryan, also know as "Buffalo Joe". He has dozens of planes which will probably give you a huge orgasm.

So can we PLEASE move on and stop mentioning turboprops in nearly any thread you post in?

Thank you very much!

[OO-ITR]

I prefer a full turboprop

Yes, we know that YOU prefer this. You'll told us a million times and we got it (more then once). Thank you. SN obviously doesn't agree with you and I'm pretty sure the customer doesn't agree with you also.

Please, if you really like turboprops that much I can give you the cell phone of a man called Joe McBryan, also know as "Buffalo Joe". He has dozens of planes which will probably give you a huge orgasm.

So can we PLEASE move and and metioning turboprops in nearly any thread you post in?

Thank you very much!

Bralo20 : you are my hero !

[tolipanebas]

I'm wondering how the CS300 compares with the A319 ?
Maybe an airline like SN should consider the lower end of jet a/c like the C series ?
LX has an order pending (30 firm + 30 options if my memory is good) I suppose SN could easily get a good deal from Bombardier.
Of course there is a place for turboptops on short thin routes.

Careful now! Simply mentioning the C-series almost gave somebody here a hart attack, last time!

But indeed, rational thinking leads to the conclusion that medium sized airlines like LX, OS and SN (and in fact many others around Europe) are currently forced to 'misuse' the A319 on some routes and would be better off with a much lighter plane like the C-series on many of their medium haul routes.
As the A318 obviously is a complete lemon, it's why I have constantly called for a fleet of C-series to be considered, augmented with a few A320s at the high end of the market (planes which could be crewed by A330 crews, BTW), while at the bottom of the fleet a couple of turboprops (5 to 10) can be introduced for short off-peak hops from BRU: no network airline in his right mind is ever going to send a Q400 (or similar) on a relatively long route like e.g BRU-BCN and rightfully so: It's commecial suicide!

Other than stating the bloody obvious, I agree: can you please stop trying to spin every topic into yet another TP discussion? Maybe spend some of the time gained figuring out how to read schedule changes correctly...

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=46087&p=256374#p256349

[Air Key West]

From what I read in the press and on the internet, Boeing and even more so Airbus are getting so many orders for their narrow-body aircraft, that the only option left to b.air will probably be the C series (+ a few A320s as correctly suggested by tolipanebas) if the airline wants to renew its European fleet in the coming years, unless the real reNEWal (not what is taking place now) is postponed till the beginning of the next decade

[BrusselsAirlines]

LH has 60 firm orders for the C series since summer 2011.

LH board would decide on SN fleet renewal in 2011 as part of the 45% agreement if I remember well.

[cathay belgium]

Hi,

LH board would decide on SN fleet renewal in 2011 as part of the 45% agreement if I remember well.

Still around 6 weeks to go.. ! 5th december or 25th ?

CX-B

[airazurxtror]

http://www.lalibre.be/economie/actualit ... ction.html

http://www.tijd.be/nieuws/archief/Vakbo ... ines&ckc=1

Brussels Airlines Conseil d'Entreprise/Ondernemingsraad on monday - if not satisfactory for the unions, possible strike on friday 25 november.