Following a few articles that have been published in the press and on the Internet in recent days about Air Belgium (L-Post, Luchtvaartnieuws, Flightlevel, L’Echo…), Aviation24.be didn’t want to comment immediately and asked the airline for its opinion. Air Belgium today provided us with the following clarifications and details.
1. Is Air Belgium facing a pilot “Exodus”? Absolutely not!
34 pilots have decided to leave Air Belgium since the beginning of the year, of which:
21 hired by CMA CGM in agreement with Air Belgium, which includes a number of French pilots or Belgian pilots living in France
5 German pilots joined German Airlines
1 Italian pilot joined ITA Airways, in Italy
7 pilots of different nationalities joined foreign airlines such as Air France, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Cargolux and Air Malta
Concerning CMA CGM, at the highest point and with 4 fully-utilised aircraft, Air Belgium operated with up to 82 pilots
All pilots’ salaries have increased by 10.3% year-to-date alone
2. Contract CMA CGM – Nothing unusual to declare!
Since the very beginning, the CMA CGM contract was set for 3 years with an option to reduce it to 18 months in the event of CMA CGM investing in an airline of their own
CMA CGM AIR CARGO was created initially to operate the Boeing 777 freighter
CMA CGM decided to base their future cargo operations in Paris CDG. No further interest from Air Belgium to operate away from Belgium
Air Belgium and CMA CGM cooperate to transfer aircraft from Air Belgium to CMA CGM AIR CARGO and reached an agreement to also assist and transfer resources to their AOC
Aircraft are being transferred from Belgium to France as per the agreed programme. The last Airbus A330 will be transferred by early February 2023
Meanwhile, Air Belgium is introducing this year (2022) alone five full-freighter aircraft based in Belgium:
3 Boeing 747-8F (2 aircraft already in service)
2 Airbus A330-200 Freighter
Additional freighters planned for 2nd half of 2023
3. Capacity adjustment to the Air Belgium passenger flight programme
The present and projected economical circumstances are such that Air Belgium remains very cautious for the upcoming winter and next summer’s flight programme
The fuel price went up by 75.3% since January 1, 2022
On a fully costed flight, the fuel charge increased from 31 to 43%
The weak EUR versus USD is also a major financial burden (revenues are mostly in EUR while most costs are incurred in USD)
Concerns:
The energy crisis and massive inflation in Belgium and within Air Belgium’s market catchment area are severe and the airline anticipates a reduction of demand, especially in “price-sensitive” markets, as do competitors in Belgium
The Caribbean destinations are precisely “price-sensitive” markets
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ)
Fuel price in PUJ is 53% higher than in Brussels (BRU)
Passenger taxes in PUJ are three times higher than in BRU (e.g. €110 in PUJ vs €33 in BRU)
PUJ obliges transit passengers to deplane and reboard the passengers with destination Curaçao (CUR). Besides the inconvenience to those passengers, it adds a layer of costs and taxes. One year of discussions with the local authorities gave no results.
Air France has announced the cancellation of all operations to PUJ as of March 2023 (after 25 years of service). Other carriers reduced flights by half.
Hence Air Belgium’s decision:
To suspend its flight programme to PUJ during the low season of winter 2022-2023
No decision made yet for the summer season 2023
PUJ may become a seasonal destination in Air Belgium’s flight programme
Curaçao (CUR)
Fuel price in CUR is 20% higher than in BRU
Passenger taxes in CUR are twice those of BRU (e.g. €75 in CUR vs €33 in BRU)
KLM has announced a reduction to 1 flight/day for this Winter
Hence Air Belgium’s decision:
To suspend its flight programme to CUR during the low season of winter 2022-2023
No decision made yet for the summer season 2023
CUR may become a seasonal destination in Air Belgium’s flight programme
Martinique (FDF) & Guadeloupe (PTP)
Demand is high from November till mid-January and potentially in July and August
Demand is low from February till May and between September and mid-November
Very price sensitive market driving very low fares
Even at full 100% capacity, the flight would be losing money, given the current cost structure
Overcapacity exists also between French carriers out of Paris Orly with the result of steering fares dramatically down
Due to territorial continuity, French carriers are not operating under the same conditions as Belgian carriers
Hence Air Belgium’s decision:
to discontinue operation outside the winter peak periods, except for chartered operations with major cruise lines
While discussions are ongoing, it is very unlikely that Air Belgium resumes operations before the winter season 2023
4. Customer Service issues
Customer Service is currently experiencing an overload in handling and re-accommodating customers. This is due to
Available resources – Air Belgium is in the process of doubling its capacity
The recent change in the reservation system since August and the associated teething problems are slowing down the process
The above situation translates into usually slow/late responses by the Customer Service department.
The department is handling Customers by chronological order of their flights
Customers are offered: full reimbursement – rebooking on any convenient day for the traveller – rebooking with partner airlines on their original travel dates
Air Belgium is increasing staffing and is expanding it Customer Service resources to catch up with the delays. The airline apologises for the temporary inconvenience experienced by the customers and is doing its utmost to improve the situation as soon as possible.
Air Belgium did not mention it in its clarification, but the flights from Brussels to Mauritius and to South Africa (Johannesburg and Cape Town), operated with the new Airbus A330-900neo, are not affected by the above issues.