Brussels Airlines' fleet renewal

[sn26567]

Does anyone have a paid subscription to Aviation Week? There is an article about the Brussels Airlines long-haul fleet renewal.

http://aviationweek.com/awincommercial/ ... et-renewal

[quixoticguide]

Does anyone have a paid subscription to Aviation Week? There is an article about the Brussels Airlines long-haul fleet renewal.

http://aviationweek.com/awincommercial/ ... et-renewal

Brussels Airlines is beginning to consider options for its widebody aircraft fleet renewal and will launch its first Asian destination, to Mumbai, executives said.

The airline will launch a five-times weekly service between its hub at Brussels Airport (BRU) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) in March, in cooperation with its Star Alliance partner Air India. To support the new route, Brussels Airlines will lease an additional Airbus A330-200. The widebody aircraft will most likely be sourced through the Lufthansa Group, which owns 45% of Brussels Airlines’ parent SN Airholding (Aviation Daily, May 17).

The used A330-200, which is expected to arrive early in 2017, will lift Brussels Airlines’ long-haul fleet to four A330-200s and six A330-300s.

Meanwhile, Brussels Airlines is starting to look at options to renew its widebody aircraft fleet. All its A330s are leased and the oldest three A330-300s have an average age of 23 years, according to Aviation Week’s commercial aviation fleet database.

“We are issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to see what the market is offering,” Brussels Airlines CEO Bernard Gustin told Aviation Daily in a recent interview. “In 2018–19 the first batch of our old-generation A330s are leaving the fleet.”

The RFP will be issued to all interested lessors, “but we are not excluding alternatives,” Gustin said. He did refrain from confirming he would consider an outright purchase and indicated that owning a widebody aircraft would only be possible if Brussels Airlines became a fully-owned subsidiary of Lufthansa. “Brussels Airlines as a standalone company does not offer me the same choices as Brussels Airlines as part of a large group,” he said.

Lufthansa was due to make a decision on acquiring the remaining 55% of SN Airholding in April, but it postponed the decision in the wake of the March terrorist attacks at Brussels Airport. The deliberation on whether to take full control of Brussels Airlines is expected to take place in October.

Diversifying its fleet with Boeing long-haul twinjets is highly unlikely. “I am a big fan of a homogeneous fleet, of operating one fleet type,” Gustin said. Brussels Airlines last month took delivery of its 20th Airbus A319 and phased out another British Aerospace BAE 146-RJ100. Excluding wet leases, its fleet now consists of nine A330s, 20 A319s, nine A320s and nine BAE 146 -RJ100s.

Brussels Airlines announced plans to expand its long-haul operations with two additional aircraft and two new destinations in December 2015. It opted to launch a five-times weekly to Toronto Pearson International Airport (Aviation Daily, Dec. 21, 2015) following Jet Airways’ announcement that it would close down its Brussels Airport operations and transfer those flights to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Jet Airways operated from Mumbai and Delhi to Newark Liberty International airport in New Jersey and to Toronto via its mini-hub in Brussels.

As part of Jet Airways’ departure, Brussels Airlines had also earmarked Mumbai as a possibility. It also considered Lagos, Nigeria, to further grow its Africa network.

At the recent IATA Annual General Meeting in Dublin, Gustin told Aviation Daily the airline was “equally thrilled” by Lagos and Mumbai, while acknowledging the airline has a long tradition of operating in Africa, while it has no experience in the Indian market.

Nigeria remains on Brussels Airlines’ radar, but it was dismissed as new destination now due to the difficulties in the country. According to IATA, Nigeria is one of the top two countries blocking the repatriation of airline funds (the other is Venezuela). About $600 million in airline funds is being blocked from repatriation in Nigeria.

Repatriation issues arose in the second half of 2015 when demand for foreign currency in the country outpaced supply and the country’s banks were not able to service currency repatriations.

Mumbai is Brussels Airlines’ first Asian destination. “The demand for direct flights for passengers as well as for cargo is high,” Lars Redeligx, Brussels Airlines’ chief commercial officer, noted. “With more than 50,000 passengers per year, Mumbai is the third most important intercontinental destination from Belgium. Furthermore, with this new route we can offer our guests smooth connections between Mumbai and the rest of Europe via Brussels.”

[sn26567]

Thanks, quixoticguide!

[sn26567]

It is rumoured that the replacement of the first batch of A330s in 2018-2019 is likely to be either the A330neo or the A350...

[lumumba]

Let's hope that it will be the A350.

[webstermc]

I flew on OO-SNE today (deliverd to SN in march). Nice bird! You can see immediately that this is a newer aircraft...

Does this plane also have IFE screens ?

No it does not have IFE screens .
It was a flight for Thomas Cook (HQ flight number), so they even did not open the screens for showing the GPS.

So no I had to go to FR24 afterwards to check the flight path we took

[CTBke]

I flew on OO-SNE today (deliverd to SN in march). Nice bird! You can see immediately that this is a newer aircraft...

Does this plane also have IFE screens ?

No it does not have IFE screens .
It was a flight for Thomas Cook (HQ flight number), so they even did not open the screens for showing the GPS.

So no I had to go to FR24 afterwards to check the flight path we took

some of the A319/A320 have a different software/hardware installed that's why they're not used

[Duke]

Let's hope that it will be the A350.

I wouldn't count on the A350.
Gustin indicates he wants to operate one type of aircraft, and although the A350 might have operational similarities to the A330, it makes more sense to operate the A330 neo.
Let's keep fingers crossed!
Regards,

Duke

[convair]

Let's hope that it will be the A350.

I wouldn't count on the A350.
Gustin indicates he wants to operate one type of aircraft, and although the A350 might have operational similarities to the A330, it makes more sense to operate the A330 neo.
Let's keep fingers crossed!
Regards,

Duke

Could someone here briefly summarize the main differences between the two in terms of comfort and performances?

Thanks in advance.

I read some time ago on this forum that the A330 neo is eagerly expected by several airlines. Hence it will probably be a bit expensive too; an opportunity for SN to lease some "not so old" (say 5-10 years) A330s at a good price?

[lumumba]

One of problems with the A350 it's that its to big...

[Sonho1985]

One of problems with the A350 it's that its to big...

NYC, LAX, FIH, DKR, JNB... are all destinations that could easy fill a 350-900 on direct flights from BRU.

The problem is that the 359 has about the same capacity as the 330-900neo (to replace 333) and that they need a smaller model (332 --> 338) for routes like YYZ, BOS (yes YES!), IAD and some in Africa and Mr. Gustin is right that it makes more sense to continue the A330-storyfrom that point of view. The NEO's are going to be more fuel-efficient and I always experienced them as comfortable with the 2-4-2 layout in Y (many people prefer this by the way). As I dont see them starting to fly to destinations like SIN or GRU in the (near) future, the range of A330 also will do.
OR they go for a combination of A350 and A321LR for the smaller long haul-routes.

Does anyone believe in the A350-1000 for SN by the way? For NYC and FIH yes, but too big for other destinations imo... too bad, I like that plane.

[teach]

A lot of dreaming going on here about what will replace the currect A330 fleet. Remembr that in reality, the most likely replacement will simply be younger, but still used A330s. My guess is a nice chunk of Singapore Airlines' A330 fleet will be finding its way to SN in a few years.

I give a small chance to the neo, if SN feel ambitious. They could get those pretty soon by leasing them, as several lessors have ordered them. Don't count on the A350 at all: SN doesn't need that plane's range, plus the acquisition or lease cost will also be considerably higher.

I'd say 80% chance they'll get newer used A330s, 15% they'll get the A330neo, 5% they'll get the A350. That last one is being generous BTW.

[crew1990]

One of problems with the A350 it's that its to big...

The A350 is far to be too big, the A330 is actually too small now, New York, Washington and Toronto are always full. In Africa SN have to leave regularly cargo at destination as the plane is too heavy. The A350 would actually fit the fleet.

I wouldn't count on the A350. Gustin indicates he wants to operate one type of aircraft, and although the A350 might have operational similarities to the A330, it makes more sense to operate the A330 neo.

When Gustin say he wants only one type of aircraft it mean it could be the A350's without any A330 anymore. This is what they are discussing now at the B.house, does they go full A330 for the renewal or full A350.

Could someone here briefly summarize the main differences between the two in terms of comfort and performances?

I don't know technically the performance of those aircraft but an advantage of the A350 is for the crew rest area. I explain myself, the A330 is not wide enough to have a crew rest area in the sealing.
In the case of the A330 of SN, the crew rest area are actually 4 economy seat hided with a curtain, it mean 4 seat that can't be sold both way. If Brussels Airlines want to open longer route such as South Africa or West coast of the USA or even longer route is Asia, the law want the airlines to provide an horizontal crew rest facility, it means basically beds.
It mean that in the case of the A330 that they would need to put a crew bunk in the belly of the aircraft which means that there is less cargo availability.

With the A350, this problem is solve as it doesn't take any place for the PAX or for the cargo. Witch means extra revenue.

[lumumba]

If Toronto is always full why did they not fly daily?

[teach]

The A350 is far to be too big, the A330 is actually too small now, New York, Washington and Toronto are always full. In Africa SN have to leave regularly cargo at destination as the plane is too heavy. The A350 would actually fit the fleet.

On the North Atlantic, if you have a single daily flight or less and want to increase capacity, you are far better off increasing frequency rather than size. In the case of New York, that can easily be covered by the second United EWR flight, the launch of which was cancelled after the attacks. In the case of Toronto and Washington, SN operates less than daily flights. Increase this to daily, and you've got your extra capacity. Besides, the A350 isn't that much bigger than the A330-300 anyway, but the ownership / leasing costs are. As for cargo to Africa, that's not an A330 problem, that's an SN A330 problem. Most of their A330s are old birds, and are far less capable than newer A330s, which have a much higher MTOW. Newer A330s (they don't even have to be neos) wouldn't have to leave that cargo behind.

I don't know technically the performance of those aircraft but an advantage of the A350 is for the crew rest area. I explain myself, the A330 is not wide enough to have a crew rest area in the sealing.
In the case of the A330 of SN, the crew rest area are actually 4 economy seat hided with a curtain, it mean 4 seat that can't be sold both way. If Brussels Airlines want to open longer route such as South Africa or West coast of the USA or even longer route is Asia, the law want the airlines to provide an horizontal crew rest facility, it means basically beds.
It mean that in the case of the A330 that they would need to put a crew bunk in the belly of the aircraft which means that there is less cargo availability.

That would only be a (minor) issue if the routes in question were cargo-heavy routes.

With the A350, this problem is solve as it doesn't take any place for the PAX or for the cargo. Witch means extra revenue.

This needs to be offset against the considerably higher ownership costs.

[crew1990]

If Toronto is always full why did they not fly daily?

Because SN doesn't have enough aircraft and because the route has just been launched but i m sure it will be upgraded next summer.

[OO-ITR]

One of problems with the A350 it's that its to big...

No it is not too big but the range is too long for the destinations that SN is serving 'right now'.

My guess is a nice chunk of Singapore Airlines' A330 fleet will be finding its way to SN in a few years.

then according to your reasoning the 10th A330 would also need to come from SQ...the only thing is, that it is not...

If Toronto is always full why did they not fly daily?

probably because SN does not have enough aircraft at the moment..

[DeltaWiskey]

Apparently OO-SSO (MSN 2287) and OO-SNI (MSN 1983) are also joining the fleet later this year.

I have to correct myself, new EIS are Feb/Mar '17 for MSN 2287 and Jun/Jul '17 for MSN 1983.

I'd say 80% chance they'll get newer used A330s, 15% they'll get the A330neo, 5% they'll get the A350. That last one is being generous BTW.

I think that could be very accurate. A330's coming off lease from SIA are very good and capable birds.

[AIRMARSHAL]

How is the airflow actually generated on A350 ? Is it comming through the engines like on A330, or is it electrically generated like on the dreamliner?

[Didymus]

How is the airflow actually generated on A350 ? Is it comming through the engines like on A330, or is it electrically generated (and consequently much more healthier for passengers and crew) like on the dreamliner?

"In 2006, Airbus confirmed development of a full bleed air system on the A350, as opposed to the 787's bleedless configuration."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A350_XWB