Jetter wrote:A news article from Indian press with some additional views:
http://www.livemint.com/Companies/JXM5V ... s-hub.html
It partly blames (lack of) support from SN to channelize passengers:
He said Jet Airways originally entered Brussels because it got a good deal from Brussels airport, and Brussels Airlines was going to help channelise passengers.
“However, not much success with that support. Also, Brussels is not a preferred destination in Europe for Indians apart from the diamond merchants. Jet Airways is looking to move to Amsterdam, where it can perhaps get into a joint venture with Delta/KLM-Air France to operate the india leg from Amsterdam,”
The above quote is from a Mumbai based
financial services professional and travel writer. What seeems more relevant to me, is what Jet Airways itself said in that article:
"...A Jet Airways spokesperson said no specific decision with regard to the Brussels operation has been taken at this time... Jet Airways has only initiated a consultative process with its employees’ representatives in Brussels to determine future steps regarding its operations at Brussels Airport... This process is in line with Jet Airways’ approach of engaging with employees in a transparent manner regarding key business decisions and is also fully in compliance with Belgian laws... All the existing Jet Airways flights to and from Brussels continue to remain open for sale and travel..."
It looks to me that Jet Airways has received quite some distress calls from the Indian and the Belgian travel trade during the last days. Changing a hub is more then rerouting aircraft: it’s rerouting people with travel arrangements. Imagine you are a Belgian touroperator with an India program. Would you book new allotments on Jet Airways tomorrow? I don't hink so, unless with a no deposit policy and free cancellation if BRU goes offline. And why would that Belgian touroperator use Jet Airways out of AMS? KLM is much better then: no problem to get seats on BRU-AMS-BRU, the KLM crew speaks Dutch and English, and KLM is a European airline (thus EU legislation for both directions).
What has Jet Airways gained so far for the Dutch market? Nothing. Nobody there will switch from flag carrier KLM to Jet Airways with statements like
maybe eventually perhaps we’ll move from BRU to AMS as from 1st January. But perhaps only as from 31st March, or perhaps not if negociations with Brussels turn out positive.
And what will the Indian diamond community in Antwerp do? Jet Airways will loose the huge benefit of a nonstop flight out of Brussels. Any airline that fills in that gap will get lots of Business Class tickets as a starters bonus.
If I was Jet Airways Belgium, I would beg Brussels Airlines and Brussels Airport to issue a joined statement "we have renewed our vows in our ménage à trois".