The Federal Holding and Investment Company (SFPI – FPIM) and the Walloon investment company (SRIW) have taken a 25 percent share in Air Belgium, the airline led by former TNT Airways CEO and businessman Niky Terzakis.
Air Belgium didn’t receive its Belgian AOC yet, but the airline is confident to receive the certificate by the end of this year. The airline -with a startup capital of €20,000,000- wants to launch a weekly direct flight between Brussels and Hong Kong from early 2018. And by the end of 2018 they would like to add other Chinese cities.
In November they will receive the first of two Airbus A340-300, by the end of 2018 the airline wants to employ 280 people.
Air Belgium will already face competition on the market with Hainan Airlines, flying between Brussels Airport and Shanghai three times per week. Cathay Pacific recently announced a direct flight between Brussels and Hong Kong from March 2018.
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Source: De Tijd – Aviation24.be
