Air Belgium in 2023

[Boeing767copilot]

Royal Air Maroc (EAM) wetleases Air Belgium's A330 to bolster summer demand.

https://newsaero.info/airlines/pour-lt- ... ?true=6376

[Conti764]

I wish them all the luck. If everything works out fine, they could even replace SN as the de facto 'flag carrier'.

Does anyone know what BRU's position towards AB is? BAC is quite focussed on SN, which is logic, but if Niki Terzakis can do what he says in the interview, in the loger term AB could have a far bigger value to BRU than SN...

BRU has of course a very positive attitude towards Air Belgium. At the moment all flights are going via BRU and all parked planes are at BRU. This also bcs of better maintenance facilities.

It's of course the decision of the shareholders from where they will fly, but by opening new routes or flying with new planes like B748F and A330Neo they receive very nice discounts.

Both will grow, SN and Air Belgium. For SN we know already that there are plans for a further future. In the case of Air Belgium, this is first see it before believing it.

But regarding flying from CRL, it's remarkable that TUI withdrown fully from there and concentrate as much as possible on BRU. The same happened with Air Belgium.

Thanks for the reply.

Having dual ops at BRU and CRL imho makes no sense. Too close to eachother and except for maybe tarifs, BRU will always have the upperhand to CRL.

[luchtzak]

Royal Air Maroc (EAM) wetleases Air Belgium's A330 to bolster summer demand.

https://newsaero.info/airlines/pour-lt- ... ?true=6376

Are you able to provide the full article? Thx

[B737229]

Same subject but different source

https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230530-atns23kf330

[Miqvell]

Same subject but different source

https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230530-atns23kf330

Except that it doesn't mention that it'll also operate from BRU daily

[JOVAN2]

Royal Air Maroc (EAM) wetleases Air Belgium's A330 to bolster summer demand.

https://newsaero.info/airlines/pour-lt- ... ?true=6376

Are you able to provide the full article? Thx

Hi,
Aeroroutes.com is a very good and
reliable source of information on new routes, changes etc.

The ACMI activities of AB.seem.to work well.
So do their cargo operations.
Let them.now increase frequencies to RSA.
And start new own destinations in popular counties.
My favourites US westcoast, Mexico, Brazil and Thailand to start.

[Atlantis]

Royal Air Maroc (EAM) wetleases Air Belgium's A330 to bolster summer demand.

https://newsaero.info/airlines/pour-lt- ... ?true=6376

Are you able to provide the full article? Thx

Hi,
Aeroroutes.com is a very good and
reliable source of information on new routes, changes etc.

The ACMI activities of AB.seem.to work well.
So do their cargo operations.
Let them.now increase frequencies to RSA.
And start new own destinations in popular counties.
My favourites US westcoast, Mexico, Brazil and Thailand to start.

Thailand will be probably again with Thai. Which is better. Nice plane, great service.

Which Air Belgium also has

[TLspotting]

'Wat bestemmingen betreft, zien we een uitbreiding naar een twintigtal rechtstreeks aangevlogen bestemmingen in de komende vijf jaar.'

'Als we spreken over een ambitie van 20 directe long haul vluchten, dan betekent dit ook dadelijk minstens 50 indirecte bestemmingen, waarvan Air Belgium de “long haul feeder” is'

They want to go to 20 direct destinations within 5 years. With feeder flights up to 50.

I do wish them the best. I also hope they find feeder flights within Europe.

I wish them the best too but I think that Mister Terzakis is a bit dreaming. Mauritius and South Africa work pretty well, good that it happens.

It seems very optimistic for me in my opinion, would be great if they succeed and I wish them the best but I honestly have some doubt. Even SN does not have 20 long haul destination while they are part of a major group in an alliance and not a stand alone airline.

The discussion in the fleet renewal of SN is interesting as an user analysed how SN has become and how they got stuck with the Germans.

Anyway, I set this from nowhere but I don't see any long-term cooperation other than with easyJet if they come back and make something interesting out of BRU. SN ? Forget it and as there is no other airline based in Brussels (leisure doesn't count), then they are also stuck. HS services ? No one stops at Brussels Airport. I have the feeling that the only way to get a decent European network from Brussels is to be taken over by SN (and therefore LH).

Everyone hopes of course that it will be a success. But 20 long haul is a lot and you need a lot of planes for that.

Per new long haul route you need a lot of capital. The first year is even no profit on it. If you do this by 20...

They need to secure theselfs with a good solid financial basis. Maybe even looking for new investors. And keeping margin for times that it will not be good, like e.g. higher full prices.

I was at Brussels Airport 15 days ago : all 9 planes (so without OOSEA) were at BRU.

"From the left to the right :
OO-ABF Last commercial flight 11 May, but expected to depart later today to Frankfurt
OE-LAJ Last commercial flight 10 April
OE-LFD Flew from Astana today
OE-LAL Last commercial flight 6 May
OE-LAC Last commercial flight 15 May
OO-ABG Sabena Engineering
OE-LFC Sabena Engineering
Not on the pic but at Brussels Airport :
OE-LCL Flying tonight to Maurice
OE-LFI Last flight 18 April, hasn't operated commercially"

Is it how you do it ? By being on the ground ? I mean I might lose "credibility" as some can say but it is a fact they are not flying that much.

+ last year, they probably lost money again.

I wish them all the luck. If everything works out fine, they could even replace SN as the de facto 'flag carrier'.

Does anyone know what BRU's position towards AB is? BAC is quite focussed on SN, which is logic, but if Niki Terzakis can do what he says in the interview, in the loger term AB could have a far bigger value to BRU than SN...

BRU has of course a very positive attitude towards Air Belgium. At the moment all flights are going via BRU and all parked planes are at BRU. This also bcs of better maintenance facilities.

It's of course the decision of the shareholders from where they will fly, but by opening new routes or flying with new planes like B748F and A330Neo they receive very nice discounts.

Both will grow, SN and Air Belgium. For SN we know already that there are plans for a further future. In the case of Air Belgium, this is first see it before believing it.

But regarding flying from CRL, it's remarkable that TUI withdrown fully from there and concentrate as much as possible on BRU. The same happened with Air Belgium.

Air Belgium, the first problem has been also a loss of trust because people don't know what to rely on as they closed many routes (6 destinations out of 10) and some flights get cancelled as well. For TUI, it was already a rumour when I wrote the article with them reducing operations for the S season, that they were (probably) going to leave CRL for the Winter season.

Bovendien, AB has a contract of 10 years with CRL and we are only at the half. They left CRL in March 2023, everything moved to Brussels. Since then : no external communication concerning new destinations or anything even if we can note both communications of Terzakis (USA/Asia + Itw),
but I have to say that the arguments for CRL are completely stupid now. I don't know anymore who wrote that actually people want to fly from BRU and not from CRL. He is still claiming that they wish to offer something else from Gosselies.

I have some doubts on what he says. Also people don't know how to make their plans to go on holiday.

The ACMI activities of AB.seem.to work well.
So do their cargo operations.
Let them.now increase frequencies to RSA.
And start new own destinations in popular counties.
My favourites US westcoast, Mexico, Brazil and Thailand to start.

ACMI activities are doing well, I can confirm that another ACMI is expected for this summer (also ironically, an ex A343 now at Surinam is down, so AB will fly for them).

Their cargo operations, I think they are 3 or 4 aircraft to fly, indeed their most profitable activity.

[Atlantis]

Cargo is doing good, yes. But mainly Chinese route bcs of the main shareholder. There is still a gap to Tokio where is also cargo demand but no cargo carrier.

Latin America is a huge cargo market. Qatar is taking a big part together with Amerijet and LATAM. But there is still so much to take. EK lately started twice a week a cargo route from Houston to BRU. America in general is the second biggest cargo export from BRU.
Also Africa is a huge cargo market where mainly ET is flying. A fourth carrier, bcs we have there also from time to time RAM and Air Algerie, would be welcome.

A lot of potential, it's only the will

[lumumba]

Cargo is doing good, yes. But mainly Chinese route bcs of the main shareholder. There is still a gap to Tokio where is also cargo demand but no cargo carrier.

Latin America is a huge cargo market. Qatar is taking a big part together with Amerijet and LATAM. But there is still so much to take. EK lately started twice a week a cargo route from Houston to BRU. America in general is the second biggest cargo export from BRU.
Also Africa is a huge cargo market where mainly ET is flying. A fourth carrier, bcs we have there also from time to time RAM and Air Algerie, would be welcome.

A lot of potential, it's only the will

Brussels Airlines is also very active on the cargo market to Africa Isn't it?

[Atlantis]

Cargo is doing good, yes. But mainly Chinese route bcs of the main shareholder. There is still a gap to Tokio where is also cargo demand but no cargo carrier.

Latin America is a huge cargo market. Qatar is taking a big part together with Amerijet and LATAM. But there is still so much to take. EK lately started twice a week a cargo route from Houston to BRU. America in general is the second biggest cargo export from BRU.
Also Africa is a huge cargo market where mainly ET is flying. A fourth carrier, bcs we have there also from time to time RAM and Air Algerie, would be welcome.

A lot of potential, it's only the will

Brussels Airlines is also very active on the cargo market to Africa Isn't it?

Off course, a lot of belly cargo

[Boeing767copilot]

Read on LinkedIn

Casual Saturday at the Air Belgium Flight Operations :

- B748F cargo on the way to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Co. Ltd. operating for Hongyuan Group
- A332p2f cargo on the way to Astana Airport operating for Hongyuan Group
- A339Neo on the way to Kangerlussuaq airport operating for Air Greenland
- A339Neo on the way to Schiphol operating for Surinam Airways Ltd.
- A332Ceo on the way to Groupe ADP CDG operating for Madagascar Airlines.
- A332Ceo just arrived in Airports of Mauritius Co Ltd. operating for Air Belgium.
- A332F on the way to Mumbai International Airport Limited (CSMIA) operating for CMA CGM operating for Air France.

[JOVAN2]

Read on LinkedIn

Casual Saturday at the Air Belgium Flight Operations :

- B748F cargo on the way to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Co. Ltd. operating for Hongyuan Group
- A332p2f cargo on the way to Astana Airport operating for Hongyuan Group
- A339Neo on the way to Kangerlussuaq airport operating for Air Greenland
- A339Neo on the way to Schiphol operating for Surinam Airways Ltd.
- A332Ceo on the way to Groupe ADP CDG operating for Madagascar Airlines.
- A332Ceo just arrived in Airports of Mauritius Co Ltd. operating for Air Belgium.
- A332F on the way to Mumbai International Airport Limited (CSMIA) operating for CMA CGM operating for Air France.

This is s better than expected schedule for AB.
I hope it works almost every day of the week.

ACMI will always be needed as Technical problems with many 787 persist..
Not to mention other airplane types.

Hope they start their new own destinations soon, but in a moderate way. If they increase frequencies to RSA that would give a boost to their reliability.

[longwings]

I wish them all the luck. If everything works out fine, they could even replace SN as the de facto 'flag carrier'.

Does anyone know what BRU's position towards AB is? BAC is quite focussed on SN, which is logic, but if Niki Terzakis can do what he says in the interview, in the loger term AB could have a far bigger value to BRU than SN...

If Air Belgium gets close to reaching its goal of 20 destinations, I would not assume Lufty will stand still and not protect its position in the marketplace...

[travellover]

I know it's not that simple (KF is not a network Airline) but could't KF/SN/LH unify their (African) network in BRU ? Just as a win-win situation ?

Besides, any such arrangement would benefit KF much more as SN already has wide use of a similar network thru the LH group and the Star Alliance. LH would never accept that.

Eager to know how they will develop in the next years.
South Africa and Mauritius are doing well according to Niki's Terzakkis recent interview.

[Conti764]

I wish them all the luck. If everything works out fine, they could even replace SN as the de facto 'flag carrier'.

Does anyone know what BRU's position towards AB is? BAC is quite focussed on SN, which is logic, but if Niki Terzakis can do what he says in the interview, in the loger term AB could have a far bigger value to BRU than SN...

If Air Belgium gets close to reaching its goal of 20 destinations, I would not assume Lufty will stand still and not protect its position in the marketplace...

But will they strengthen SN long haul to counter AB or just 'wait and see' and expect AB to fold?

The major advantage for SN is it being in A++, so basicly every entry of AB on the transatlantic market might be countered by UA or AC. But are they willing to do so or just give up BRU except for the flights they already perform?

UA is notably not interested in growth at BRU and AC has never been a major player.

[Boeing767copilot]

From 1st July Air Belgium will Wet-Lease the Airbus A330-941neo to British Airways.
Aircraft will operate on BA295 & BA294 flying Heathrow - Chicago - Heathrow

[Atlantis]

I wish them all the luck. If everything works out fine, they could even replace SN as the de facto 'flag carrier'.

Does anyone know what BRU's position towards AB is? BAC is quite focussed on SN, which is logic, but if Niki Terzakis can do what he says in the interview, in the loger term AB could have a far bigger value to BRU than SN...

If Air Belgium gets close to reaching its goal of 20 destinations, I would not assume Lufty will stand still and not protect its position in the marketplace...

But will they strengthen SN long haul to counter AB or just 'wait and see' and expect AB to fold?

The major advantage for SN is it being in A++, so basicly every entry of AB on the transatlantic market might be countered by UA or AC. But are they willing to do so or just give up BRU except for the flights they already perform?

UA is notably not interested in growth at BRU and AC has never been a major player.

Why would they give up for a so small player with any network? They are too strong for that.
BTW UA is going to increase more during Winter 23-24 by adding a second B787-10.

[Conti764]

If Air Belgium gets close to reaching its goal of 20 destinations, I would not assume Lufty will stand still and not protect its position in the marketplace...

But will they strengthen SN long haul to counter AB or just 'wait and see' and expect AB to fold?

The major advantage for SN is it being in A++, so basicly every entry of AB on the transatlantic market might be countered by UA or AC. But are they willing to do so or just give up BRU except for the flights they already perform?

UA is notably not interested in growth at BRU and AC has never been a major player.

Why would they give up for a so small player with any network? They are too strong for that.
BTW UA is going to increase more during Winter 23-24 by adding a second B787-10.

Yes, they upgrade current flights. But what if - and that's a major if, I know - AB would start let's say SFO or LAX, BOS (not a *A-hub though)? Will A++ react and have UA start flights to the Westcoast or SN to BOS? Or just sit this one out?

[Atlantis]

But will they strengthen SN long haul to counter AB or just 'wait and see' and expect AB to fold?

The major advantage for SN is it being in A++, so basicly every entry of AB on the transatlantic market might be countered by UA or AC. But are they willing to do so or just give up BRU except for the flights they already perform?

UA is notably not interested in growth at BRU and AC has never been a major player.

Why would they give up for a so small player with any network? They are too strong for that.
BTW UA is going to increase more during Winter 23-24 by adding a second B787-10.

Yes, they upgrade current flights. But what if - and that's a major if, I know - AB would start let's say SFO or LAX, BOS (not a *A-hub though)? Will A++ react and have UA start flights to the Westcoast or SN to BOS? Or just sit this one out?

It would be very unresponsible of LH to not react. Long haul had a much bigger impact than short haul.
But Delsay Airlines tried it also years ago. Was the same situation without network. They only flew shortly on the Westcoast.
It's really hard to say with KF.

But The States are really underserved. LH should make it stronger. They also should look at their right side, Poland, bcs they start to have a very strong long haul network. Certainly when their mega airport will open in a few years.

If LH or others will not react, if wish KF all the best to be successful and to do what others don't