Brussels Airlines in 2018

[skumfiduse]

In the past few days I've read many articles in Flemish, Walloon and international media on the recent developments at Brussels Airlines - including posts here on luchtzak/aviation24. Frankly said, I read a lot of drama. As if all what is happening now comes as a surprise. Come on, really?!

Lufthansa didn't buy Brussels Airlines to keep is at is. From the moment LH stepped in, they meant business. You win some, you lose some. Although Brussels Airlines didn't earn a spot in the Lufthansa "Premium" Group, the company is still here. Whether we like it or not, we should be thankful for that. We all know the past 15 years of the Belgian airline haven't been a walk in the park, let alone the heritage of its predecessor.

• Brussels Airlines has been able to develop its fleet of Avrojets to one with a mix of Airbus A319/A320 and 10 Airbus A330. Why buy factory-new Airbus aircraft when they only add more pressure in obtaining a healthy yield?
• Brussels Airlines has been able to secure a strong position in Africa: a vital part of its operations. Let's not forget doing business in Africa is slightly different than doing business in Europe. The recent events in Congo show once again how volatile the African market is.
• Brussels Airlines has a scattered history: Sabena, DAT, SN Brussels Airlines, Virgin Express and more recently the integration of Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium. It takes time to reposition a business culture. Unfortunately a company cannot decide how much time it needs, the market does.
• The home market of Brussels Airlines is a very special one, hence its hybride model fits Belgium. On one hand there's a lot of premium business: EU, NATO and consultancy companies to name a few. On the other hand, there's a huge leisure market: how else to explain the competitor's success (TUI fly Belgium and Ryanair, that is)?

To me, people at Brussels Airlines have done what they could do within their own capabilities, when the company was partly-owned by Lufthansa. Now that the Belgian airline is fully-owned by Lufthansa, it's obvious some (or many) things will change, for the better of the airline group. I'm pretty sure Lufthansa doesn't want a second Swissair-Sabena scenario and has learned from bmi and Lufthansa Italia.

[chrisflyer]

Looks like Lufthansa Group registered the brand name Belgianwings already a long time ago. If SN is going to become an integral part of the EW Group, but will retain a distinct Belgian identity, Belgianwings makes a lot of sense. They could even keep the iconic b-tail.

See the entry in the European patent register:

https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#detail ... /004323011

[quixoticguide]

Eurowings Belgium sounds good!
paul

what's in a name

[Shonix]

http://www.lesoir.be/138774/article/201 ... uppression

Well, correct me if needed but what I understand is:

Eurowing's strategy is to expand its long-haul network on a low-cost model thanks to Brussels Airline's expertise and connections in this field.

I feel like SN is just a springboard for Eurowings and once they used it to achieve their objectives, we can expect SN to disappear.

There would be a "grace period" for SN no longer than 2 years I guess...

[nordikcam]

What does it mean "a center of excellence for the long haul"? I understand "long haul", "excellence" and "center"...but the three words...oups !!

[Passenger]

What does it mean "a center of excellence for the long haul"? I understand "long haul", "excellence" and "center"...but the three words...oups !!

It means: "let the competition find out what our plans are. We keep that for ourselves = for our Board and for our Directiecomités/Comités de Direction. If we give details at the Ondernemingsraad/Conseil d'Entreprise, that's gonna be the same as mailing our business plan to Dublin, London, Amsterdam and Paris.

[convair]

Looks like Lufthansa Group registered the brand name Belgianwings already a long time ago. If SN is going to become an integral part of the EW Group, but will retain a distinct Belgian identity, Belgianwings makes a lot of sense. They could even keep the iconic b-tail.
See the entry in the European patent register:
https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#detail ... /004323011

Belgianwings isn't too bad if the name Brussels Airlines must disappear. However, in many parts of the world, Brussels is better known than Belgium; so, it could as well be Brusselswings.

Anyway, I think EW HQ better keep the current name for a while and make a few marketing surveys before going for any change.

[Poiu]

They could even keep the iconic b-tail.

The S-tail was iconic.

[Poiu]

. I just had a look at my crystal ball: EW will grow in Brussels, SN will be long haul only, job losses in the offices are unavoidable.

Almost totally correct, no?
From today’s presentation:
- more EW aircraft in Brussels (read less SN aircraft)
- no job guarantee for ground staff (read joblosses to be announced later)
- long haul excellence center in BRU (read loghaul only for BruAir)
- name BruAir guaranteed for this year only (read short haul to become EW by SN)
- more jobs in DUS (on below market conditions)

[rvanhove]

Bruhansa
Eurobrussels
Belgiumwings
Sabena
but keep the SN colors pleassssseeeeee... the LH and EW liveries look like they've been designed in a funeral parlor and a sausage company! hahaha

What about:

SabenaWings
I have to admit the name Brussels Airlines was always little bit odd (I do understand the rationale, but I think the Brussels Airlines name was choosen at that time because of opposition to the Sabena name... but let's gets over it and put emotions aside and do what's right for the business).

[sean1982]

. I just had a look at my crystal ball: EW will grow in Brussels, SN will be long haul only, job losses in the offices are unavoidable.

Almost totally correct, no?
From today’s presentation:
- more EW aircraft in Brussels (read less SN aircraft)
- no job guarantee for ground staff (read joblosses to be announced later)
- long haul excellence center in BRU (read loghaul only for BruAir)
- name BruAir guaranteed for this year only (read short haul to become EW by SN)
- more jobs in DUS (on below market conditions)

pretty much on the ball

[Passenger]

From today’s presentation:
- more EW aircraft in Brussels (read less SN aircraft)
- no job guarantee for ground staff (read joblosses to be announced later)
- long haul excellence center in BRU (read loghaul only for BruAir)
- name BruAir guaranteed for this year only (read short haul to become EW by SN)
- more jobs in DUS (on below market conditions)

pretty much on the ball

On the ball, but that's about it. No goal. Fifteen meters too high and ten meters to far to the left of the goal. Reason for your glorious miss: too much distracted, once again, by the trade unionist rumours/nonsense.

[crew1990]

- more EW aircraft in Brussels (read less SN aircraft)
- no job guarantee for ground staff (read joblosses to be announced later)
- long haul excellence center in BRU (read loghaul only for BruAir)
- name BruAir guaranteed for this year only (read short haul to become EW by SN)
- more jobs in DUS (on below market conditions)

Have we been to the same presentation??

[sean1982]

From today’s presentation:
- more EW aircraft in Brussels (read less SN aircraft)
- no job guarantee for ground staff (read joblosses to be announced later)
- long haul excellence center in BRU (read loghaul only for BruAir)
- name BruAir guaranteed for this year only (read short haul to become EW by SN)
- more jobs in DUS (on below market conditions)

pretty much on the ball

On the ball, but that's about it. No goal. Fifteen meters too high and ten meters to far to the left of the goal. Reason for your glorious miss: too much distracted, once again, by the trade unionist rumours/nonsense.

just like your analysis that Gustin wasn't going to be fired? I will reference this post in a year or two

[convair]

. I just had a look at my crystal ball: EW will grow in Brussels, SN will be long haul only, job losses in the offices are unavoidable.

Almost totally correct, no?
From today’s presentation:
- more EW aircraft in Brussels (read less SN aircraft)
- no job guarantee for ground staff (read joblosses to be announced later)
- long haul excellence center in BRU (read loghaul only for BruAir)
- name BruAir guaranteed for this year only (read short haul to become EW by SN)
- more jobs in DUS (on below market conditions)

Quite a good crystal ball you have there!
As usual in that kind of meeting, what was not said is more important than what was said:
-we keep the BA name for the legal entity; what about the airline? and for how long?
-number of l/h flights from BRU: increase, status quo or slow decrease? The number of l/h planes based at BRU will be 10 at the end of 2018 +10 based in Germany under EW colours; and after that?
-no social bloodbath...for now; for how long?

I agree with Passenger that the unions have made a meal of the event, but one shouldn't be too naive either!
The best chance for SN to minimize upcoming changes is by them performing brilliantly in all their activities!

[DeltaWiskey]

My view:

With the management transition, Brussels Airlines is now officially in full gear towards Lufthansa/Eurowings integration, those who who don't like it or are obstructing, have to move. Unfortunately, this meant exit Bernard Gustin / Jan De Raeymaeker. They have made the Brussels Arilines survive in very difficult times, this duo deserves all respect from everyone.

Thorsten Dirks has said that the "premium" hub-airlines, LH, LX, OS, won't really grow over the next few years, it's even likely that they will shrink, at -1% per annum. The HUB business model is under pressure with the rise of long haul LCC carriers such as Norwegian. The main growth within the LH Group is going to come from the point-to-point airlines, with Eurowings (short haul) and Brussels Airlines (long haul) as the main drivers. He expects >15% annual growth over the next years (imo, at the expense of LH, LX, OS).

It has become clear that all "Eurowings Group" long haul aircraft are going to be operated by Brussels Airlines, this also means that the SunExpress A330 aircraft will be transferred to SN in due time. I also expect that the A321LR is going to play an important role in the intercontinental growth over the next years for EW/SN. It's the ideal aircraft for intercontinental point-to-point flights from secondary European cities like Brussels, Dusseldorf, etc.

All SN departments will start working closely with their Lufthansa/EW equivalents. Some jobs will be lost, in Germany and Belgium. In order to survive in the long term, Eurowings Group needs to be a lean and efficient organisation. This is no surprise, everybody understands that synergies and cost reductions are the main purpose of take-overs.
However, at the same time, a lot of recruitment is going on, mainly for flying and cabin crew. Total staff in Belgium and Germany is going to increase! That should be the main headline of today!

Brussels Airlines is going to remain the Africa specialist and some big news is expected to be announced shortly (within a couple of months).

Once the "transition" Is complete, Belgium and Germany are going to be well covered markets and Eurowings will look to grow market share in other European countries, both short haul and long haul. It's definitely going to be interesting.

I think it is now clear which direction SN, Eurowings Group, LH Group are going. Brussels Airlines is no longer going to be "one big family" with an "SME-spirit", it is now a part of the Lufthansa Group that is going for higher margins and sustained profitable growth.

[sn26567]

Brussels Airlines is going to remain the Africa specialist and some big news is expected to be announced shortly (within a couple of months).

It won't take that long. I heard "two weeks"...

[brabel]

Brussels Airlines is going to remain the Africa specialist and some big news is expected to be announced shortly (within a couple of months).

It won't take that long. I heard "two weeks"...

I read in an article on de Morgen that the CEO of Eurowings said they were not going to expand long haul flights from BRU anytime soon.

[Atlantis]

No extra long haul flights ex-BRU

It seems that everything about long haul will be concentrated at DUS and not for BRU. So I suppose also no second flight to India, Delhi, like the former management of SN wanted?

Eurowings decided now that 10 longhaul planes for BRU are more than enough and not more is needed and no new long haul flights

This says enough I think. So yes, the new long hauls has to come from the foreign carriers

If Eurowings says now that nothing will change, hmmm it will change, no new flights for us

http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20180207_03343748

[crew1990]

Stop reading those bullsh** of newspaper, they only want to write sensational stuff regardless if there is truth in it.

I was this morning at the meeting, what has been said was:

Africa will grow, but LH CEO can't divulge the plan yet.
America is not performing well (this is true) so not grow at the moment
Asia (BOM) is not yes profitable YET (he insisted in the yet).

Brussels Airlines will grow in Brussels if opportunity arise, and no worry opportunity will come, but the focus will be Africa!