SN Brussels Airlines and Virgin Express going together

Post by **luchtzak** » 15 Jul 2006, 00:25

An exclusive article with SN president Neil Burrows can be read here: https://www.aviation24.be/article12060.html

with special thanks to www.thebulletin.be to allow www.luchtzak.be to bring this article! The author is Leo Cendrowicz and the article was published in 'The Bulletin' on 26 July 2006. Copyright rules apply!

Robin_Bamps · Post by **Robin_Bamps** » 17 Jul 2006, 13:00

In my opinion, the launch of the painting contest and the appearing of the first SN Avro in the white livery (not featuring the S-tail), are a clear sign that the S-tail will disappear from the airplanes.

As it is impossible to use the Virgin-brand for the new airline name, and than using the Sabena/SN tail design, SN Brussels Airlines would be the only of the 2 predecessing airlines still visible on the airplanes.

I go for a complete new name and complete new livery, like f.e. Air Botnia has renamed itself Blue1 and introduced a complete new painting. The airline is still part of the SAS-group but not featuring a SAS-like livery anymore like Air Botnia did.

Just my €0.02

Regards, Robin Bamps.

SkyJet · Post by **SkyJet** » 01 Aug 2006, 22:49

If I'm correct, before the bankruptcy, Sabena bought/owned the name "Air Belgium".

So, why not be chauvinistic and rebrand the new company Air Belgium ?
(see Air France, Air Portugal, Air Canada, Air Algerie, Air China, ...)
Let's take a "puntzak met frieten (en mayonaise)" (cone with [Belgian] fries (with mayonaise)) as the new logo !

TWA · Post by **TWA** » 01 Aug 2006, 23:13

I loved the name Citybird, so if sn wants to keep the "S-tail" they may baptise the new company "Silverbird"

...and copy the silver American/(ex-aeromexico) livery :jump:

Stepha380 · Post by **Stepha380** » 02 Aug 2006, 00:06

TWA wrote:I loved the name Citybird, so if sn wants to keep the "S-tail" they may baptise the new company "Silverbird"

I don't think so, there are already airlines called Cityjet and Silverjet.

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 02 Aug 2006, 00:40

I don't really care about the name they would take. As long as it's not a low cost style name. However I fear that the new name of the company will make the company look like a low cost one....

Chris

eurofighter · Post by **eurofighter** » 02 Aug 2006, 10:15

I would suggest Belair. It is language neutral, important for Belgium, but unfortunately there's already a Swiss airline with this name.

What about Trappistair 8) ? the logo could be a nice combination of a beer bottle cap, the European stars and the Belgian flag!

FlyA330 · Post by **FlyA330** » 02 Aug 2006, 10:23

Skyjet:

Changing the name to Air Belgium would be an insult for all the ex-Air Belgium people. I would certainly not love it !!
Maybe we can call the company Ordin-Air

TWA · Post by **TWA** » 02 Aug 2006, 16:11

eurofighter wrote:I would suggest Belair. It is language neutral, important for Belgium, but unfortunately there's already a Swiss airline with this name.

Maybe Belle-m'air then.

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 02 Aug 2006, 16:19

luchtzak wrote:An exclusive article with SN president Neil Burrows can be read here: https://www.aviation24.be/article12060.html

Amongst many other debatable ideas of his, Neil Burrows looks a ferocious natinalisticist - and British above all !

He speaks about his Irish rival...(Am I mistaken, or is there still a remaining resentment towards Ireland, which dared to throw out the British rule ?), a foreign airline ...
He says : at Charleroi, there are airlines that provide very little employment for Belgian...

May I remind that British gentleman (he would say that is a pleonasm, I guess) that there is such a thing as the European Union, in which Belgium and 24 other countries (including Great-Britain) are assembled and on the way to be more and more integrated in many fields, amongst whom the free circulation of workers ? And the freedom to fly anywhere in Europ for European airlines ?
And that Belgium and 9 other countries (including Ireland) have formed the euro zone, with a common money - Great Britain not being a member of the club ?

He adds : there are airlines at Charleroi that carry few local passengers - many of the people flying there are not necessarily Walloon passengers.
That really is a good one !
Since when is the use of an airport restricted to the local inhabitants only ?
Yes, at Charleroi, not all people that take a flight there are Walloon : there are also people from Flanders, from Brussels, and even foreigners : Dutch, French, German... and those who go back home : Italian, Spanish, Irish, Austrian, etc.
Does Neil Burrows want Brussels airport, which lies on Vlaamse Grond, to be restricted to Flemish people exclusively ?

In my view, they should have called at the head of SNBA/VEx a less narrow-minded and more dynamic and enthousiast person : I think that, for instance, Barbara Cassani (Go) would have been a better choice. But would such a person accept to tackle such a hopeless task ?

TWA · Post by **TWA** » 02 Aug 2006, 20:47

I don't understand the context of your post here. The article is about the future Belgian company , who cares what people think about ryanair.

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 03 Aug 2006, 09:12

SkyJet wrote:If I'm correct, before the bankruptcy, Sabena bought/owned the name "Air Belgium".

So, why not be chauvinistic and rebrand the new company Air Belgium ?
(see Air France, Air Portugal, Air Canada, Air Algerie, Air China, ...)
Let's take a "puntzak met frieten (en mayonaise)" (cone with [Belgian] fries (with mayonaise)) as the new logo !

Yes, they should also give Belgian fries as an in-flight meal. Just watch out for turbulence with all that hot oil.

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 03 Aug 2006, 09:23

TWA wrote:I don't understand the context of your post here. The article is about the future Belgian company , who cares what people think about ryanair.

Obviously, the opinions and ideas of its president and chief executive are important for the future of the new Belgian company.
I wanted to show with a few exemples that Neil Burrows is a man of the past and, in my opinion, not the right man for that place.
Time will tell.

BrusselsNick · Post by **BrusselsNick** » 03 Aug 2006, 15:33

What about Belgian World Airlines ? or Belgian international airlines?

Anyway , I like the people who talked about "Trappistair" and "Belgian frietzak airways" or something, still I don't think that it will be an airline name with a belgian like sign of our culture. Like frites or chocolate or beer 8) .

Though I think revealing some tips of the company would be nice for us "Airline freaks".

SABENA SABENA SABENA !!!!!

greets Nick

eurofighter · Post by **eurofighter** » 03 Aug 2006, 16:31

BrusselsNick wrote:What about Belgian World Airlines ? or Belgian international airlines?

SABENA SABENA SABENA !!!!!

greets Nick

Personally I think that the name Sabena should not return. While having been succesful in Africa, it never made any profit in it's 80 year existence. Whereas SNBA already made profits within 2 years of operation.

If the name of SNBA would be ditched then the new name would have to be something completely different and fresh with a monosyllable name before or after -Air- or -Jet-

Post by **sn26567** » 04 Aug 2006, 09:16

eurofighter wrote:Personally I think that the name Sabena should not return. While having been succesful in Africa, it never made any profit in it's 80 year existence.

Not correct. Sabena has been profitable for a few years after WWII and also one year during the Swissair period.

eurofighter · Post by **eurofighter** » 04 Aug 2006, 10:29

sn26567 wrote:
eurofighter wrote:Personally I think that the name Sabena should not return. While having been succesful in Africa, it never made any profit in it's 80 year existence.
Not correct. Sabena has been profitable for a few years after WWII and also one year during the Swissair period.

In nearly any other business a company having profits 5 years out of its 80 year existence would have already gone bust much earlier, while Sabena (but of course the situation has been / is quite similar with other airlines like Air France, Alitalia) could continue at the tax payers expense.

Thank god for the European Union, where a single market has proven to be beneficial for the airline industry, and not anymore at the tax payers expense (a few exceptions exist of course).

MHG · Post by **MHG** » 04 Aug 2006, 11:03

BrusselsNick wrote:What about Belgian World Airlines ? or Belgian international airlines?
greets Nick

Well "BWA" or "BIA" are surely reasonable candidates...

But in my opinion simply Brussels Express Air would be also possible!
(though BWA is now my favourite...

)

This for a few reasons:

1) It´s time to drop the "SN" in the name of the airline although the two-letter-code "SN" will certainly be kept as it´s already in the minds of all travel/airline agents and therefore easy to be connected with a belgian airline also in the future!!!

2)It is not useful to keep the "Virgin" part of the name since there is basically no more a relationship to the Virgin-group.
Even if it would be possible to keep the Virgin name i believe that this would make no sense at all since the brand "Virgin Express" has still limited recognition inside and even less outside Europe. It´s recognition is mainly limited to Belgium and a few destination areas where TV is flying to

3) The "new" airline needs a name that reflects the airline´s ambitions.
"Express" is easier connected to the low "budget-level" and "World" more with "worldclass-level"...
So, "Belgian World Express" would be a nice solution to combine both even though SN has very limited long distance services at the moment!

tolipanebas · Post by **tolipanebas** » 04 Aug 2006, 11:17

No need to complicate things...

It's just going to be 'Brussels Airlines'

eurojet · Post by **eurojet** » 04 Aug 2006, 11:43

"Brussels Airlines"?? Abbreviated " BA "?? Well, at least then we are already half-way towards securing the long-term future of both "SNBA" and Brussels Airport: take over or major capital injection by British Airways, as a continental buffer between Sky Team and Star Alliance, and finally a thrid continental partner in One World, besides Finnair (geografically isolated) and Iberia (one trick pony with only LatAm link bringing added value to One World. Spanish market itself is lost to LCCs)