Belgian airlines that went bankrupt

[sn26567]

Johan Vanneste, the CEO of TNT Airlines, started an interesting research on Twitter about Belgian airlines that went bankrupt in the last 20 years. He came up with an impressive list:

In 1991, Trans European Airways (TEA) went bust during start of Gulf War 1.

In the early nineties a few smaller Belgian airlines disappeared: Air Meuse, Air Exel, Airlines 1992, BIAC, EuroDirect, Eurojet, European Airlift, European Airlines, European Expedite, Flanders Airlines, ONA, Skyfreighters, TIA...

Around the turn of the century another lot went under: Air Belgium, Aerowings, Belgian World Airlines, BFS Int'l, Brussels International Airlines, Challengair, CityBird, Constellation, Delsey/VG Airlines, Skyjet...

And of course the most prominent one, Sabena in 2001, followed by its charter airline Sobelair in 2004.

Nice research, Johan! I didn't know there were so many airlines in Belgium.

[Juulke]

Air Exel was Dutch

[simulator]

Indeed, impressive...
Would be interesting to know the (objective!) reason "why" they stopped business... see if there are similarities / re-occurrences... that way lessons could be learned for those whiling to start up new businesses in the future..
Any insiders want to share their view(s)?

ps @ Juulke : there was also a Belgian one : http://www.skystef.be/airlines/air-exel.htm

[Nevihta]

CargoB ...
if cargo is considered as airline...

[andorra-airport]

A few more:

Birdy Airlines, Delta Air Transport, Eurobelgian Airlines, and within the Virgin Group there was N.V. Virgin Express S.A

Full list here: http://www.skystef.be/Belgian-airlines.htm

[BrightCedars]

Birdy Airlines, Delta Air Transport, Eurobelgian Airlines, and within the Virgin Group there was N.V. Virgin Express S.A

I don't think you can consider these as bankrupt cases. Birdy was taken over by SN Brussels Airlines after the viability of the Africa network was confirmed, Delta Air Transport is the foundation on which SN Brussels Airlines was born, EuroBelgian Airways was simply taken over and renamed Virgin Express, and Virgin Express was merged with SN Brussels Airlines into the Brussels Airlines we know today.

I think TEA is another case of bankruptcy and one of the biggest alternatives so far in Belgian aviation.

[Shanti]

It's time to have a new one.

[jan_olieslagers]

BIAS wasn't mentioned yet? A bit earlier in time, yes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_In ... ir_Service
And did we hear yet of PomAir? Not even to mention COBETA and other such worthies.
A really comprehensive listing is at http://www.skystef.be/Belgian-airlines.htm ( that very nice site had already been mentioned, apologies. It does merit a double mention, though!)

[jan_olieslagers]

..... one of the biggest alternatives so far in Belgian aviation.

As I said elsewhere:

For "Belgian aviation" please substitute "commercial air transport in Belgium".
Hint: there's more to aviation than airliners.

[DeltaWiskey]

It's time to have a new one.

A new bankruptcy?
Or a new airline that will go bankrupt?

[regi]

It's time to have a new one.

A new bankruptcy?
Or a new airline that will go bankrupt?

? BeOnTop

[BigJets]

Also don't forget YOUNG Cargo with the Boeing 707 (although that's longer than 20 years ago. Went bankrupt 32 years ago to be exact)
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Young-Ca ... 0998236/L/

and also Chartair with the 737-400 in 1993
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Chartair ... /0099508/L

[jan_olieslagers]

No, Regi, THEY are sure to never go bankrupt!

[regi]

No, Regi, THEY are sure to never go bankrupt!

because they never "took off" I guess ?

[Bertrand21]

FEW people who experienced almost anything to use Sabena, a Belgian airline that proceeded to go bust line in November Mid 2001, will enjoy a brand new set of the affair, released by Belgium's parliament upon The month of january 29th. To begin with, the actual report hardly flatters McKinsey, the world's best-known management working as a consultant. Below p facto control through Swissair (that proceeded to go bust in Oct Mid 2001), Sabena brought in the actual Belgian equip of McKinsey, a popular associated with John Reutlinger, then Sabena's Swiss employer. McKinsey suitable for Sabena exactly the same high-risk strategy for development that it is Swiss arm experienced offered in order to Swissair. The actual report dryly concludes: “This technique...had been as deadly in order to Swissair as it ended up being to Sabena.”

The statement additionally focuses on 2 very odd deals that Mr Reutlinger made with Brussels-based Virgin Convey, a good air travel bought through Sir Richard Branson, a British entrepreneur, within 04 The early nineties. Dreading competitors, on Oct 29th of that 12 months, Mister Reutlinger as well as Sabena's vice-chairman authorized the one-year deal with Virgin Express on Sabena's London-Brussels path. Virgin's planes and team would fly the route, utilizing Sabena's Heathrow airport slot machines; Sabena might spend Virgin Convey with regard to Eighty five seats per flight, stuffed or not.

That in itself isn't uncommon. What went down next is. Later that day, Mr Reutlinger authorized two comparable handles Virgin mobile Express, with regard to Sabena plane tickets to Ancient rome as well as Barcelona. Not just had been these types of deals for eight years, but the deal done earlier on that day had been extended to 8 many years. Christophe Müller, Mister Reutlinger's heir from Sabena, informed the actual inquiry these deals had been the “serious cash drain”, priced at as much as euro30m ($32m) annually. Without them, Virgin mobile Convey may have attended the wall, he claimed. Moreover 80% associated with Sabena's customer issues associated with Virgin flights.

[convair]

To Bertrand,

I don't want to be rude but, is there an english translation?

[regi]

To Bertrand,

I don't want to be rude but, is there an english translation?

I made the same remark in the forum "Luchtzak Pub"
I guess Bertrand uses a translation engine.

[jan_olieslagers]

Well, as long as the forum management thinks it acceptable, so should we.

[convair]

To Regi,

Yes, it very much looks like the result of a translation engine.

To Jan,

No objection of course and, to me, all contributions are welcome. But I confess I missed most of the gist of the post. Just a bit frustrating.

[andorra-airport]

To Bertrand,

I don't want to be rude but, is there an english translation?

Yes there is
http://www.economist.com/node/1566855