Which A330 next for Brussels Airlines?

[Atlantis]

When number 9 will enter the fleet in 01/2014, will it be no time to announce the route? Unless they will use number 9 for more flights to Africa.

Number 10 will then be again for a new route during summer, just like the two other N-A flights.

[Duke]

Suppose the 3 ex-Kingfisher A330's are still available for lease, I don't see why Brussels Airlines wouldn't try to lease them.
Given the fact that other companies threaten the very lucrative African market (Turkish, KLM,...), these planes could very well be used to provide daily schedules to e.g. Luanda, Douala, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, only to name a few destinations where the yields are probably (still) high.
Of course, this is only possible provided Brussels Airlines have the traffic rights...
But I don't see why leasing those aircraft would be such a big risk or gamble...
Adding 3 extra planes would also provide for an easier back-up or a reschedule of planes in case one of the older A 333 goes tech...
I'm not an airline business specialist, so I'd like to hear the real specialists' comments on this...
Regards,
Duke

[nordikcam]

When number 9 will enter the fleet in 01/2014, will it be no time to announce the route? Unless they will use number 9 for more flights to Africa.

Number 10 will then be again for a new route during summer, just like the two other N-A flights.

No news ? Thx !

[convair]

Adding to what Atlantis and Duke wrote above, SN could also use A332 for medium-haul flghts, e.g. TLV, Agadir/Marrakech, Malaga, Moscow.

OO-SFY and OO-SFZ were serving TLV when they were still SWISS and on Sundays (and sometimes on weekdays as well) SN has 2 flights to TLV; they could probably be combined.

In the summer, SN has up to 3 or 4 flights a day to Malaga; I assume the pax are mostly tourists, so no real need to spread these flights over the whole day and at least 2 of them could be combined.

Agadir/Marrakech could be a triangular flight with a A332 instead of separate flights with A319/A320.

For Moscow, SN had to cut back to 1 daily after having tried 10 or 12 weekly; having a bigger/more confortable plane for a few of these flights could potentially attract more pax.

For some of the above destinations, offering a real business class would be an asset.

The extra A332 needed for the above flights could even be used as a back-up for the AFI/TATL flights, with A320/A319 as back-up for it.

[OO-ITR]

Adding to what Atlantis and Duke wrote above, SN could also use A332 for medium-haul flghts, e.g. TLV, Agadir/Marrakech, Malaga, Moscow.

OO-SFY and OO-SFZ were serving TLV when they were still SWISS and on Sundays (and sometimes on weekdays as well) SN has 2 flights to TLV; they could probably be combined.

In the summer, SN has up to 3 or 4 flights a day to Malaga; I assume the pax are mostly tourists, so no real need to spread these flights over the whole day and at least 2 of them could be combined.

Agadir/Marrakech could be a triangular flight with a A332 instead of separate flights with A319/A320.

For Moscow, SN had to cut back to 1 daily after having tried 10 or 12 weekly; having a bigger/more confortable plane for a few of these flights could potentially attract more pax.

For some of the above destinations, offering a real business class would be an asset.

The extra A332 needed for the above flights could even be used as a back-up for the AFI/TATL flights, with A320/A319 as back-up for it.

I totally agree that TLV could need an A330 and to some extent DME also.
Forget it for all the other destinations. These have too little demand for C pax to use an A330 for.
DME could use an A330 if connections to AFI and US would be available...but SN already tried this with the night flight DME and it wasn't exactly a big success.

[Flanker2]

If I were SN, my next big plane would be a couple of A343's.

Hong Kong would be my first priority. This way I could compete with TK and EK, on top of having the belly cargo capacity to fill, and a safe-yield O&D.
After Hong Kong, I would definitely try to get into HND. HND is very high yield currently, as there are only a limited amount of carriers who can get slots. They can codeshare with NH on it. Japan can generate its deal of belly cargo with high-yield auto parts for Africa. A cooperation with Toyota could help this. There will also be a good high yield base for Africa transfers and for the rest they can work with lower yield transfer traffic and cooperate with Belgian tourist agencies and Japanese tour operators to pull in some Japanese tourists who can start or end their European trip in Belgium instead of Amsterdam (what is there to see in Amsterdam anyway? the red light district?). The Japanese love chocolate, beer and diamonds. Let's not forget the O&d for the many Japanese companies that have a European headquarter in Belgium.

By opening these routes, they will then be able to add A333's and open more frequencies to Africa without affecting the yields.

[sn26567]

I totally agree that TLV could need an A330.

Indeed. Today there are three SN flights to TLV: one A320 and two A319s. Enough to fill an A333.

And today El Al could do the same with a 767 to replace two 737s (a -700 and a -800).

[crew1990]

So the next bird will be for winter or next summer?

[Kapitein]

I totally agree that TLV could need an A330.

Indeed. Today there are three SN flights to TLV: one A320 and two A319s. Enough to fill an A333.

No A330 on spare yesterday, all aircraft where flying and OOSFM went to FRA for some special maintenance

[Poeli]

Maybe a bit too much fantasy, but Air India has 777LR (2007) for sale. Would this fit for any destination? Just wandering guys, nothing serioud

[CTBke]

I don't think SN would buy a Boeing as it is too expensive and they just harmonized the fleet by Airbus / Avro otherwise they could keep the 737 too for charter destinations...

[nordikcam]

But which one A330-200 or A330-300 could be the next one on SN fleet ? Thx

[CTBke]

if they add a 3rd US destination a A330-200 would make sense ... but I think it's depending of the market of available A330 planes...

[pigthebest]

According to Skyliner, another Kingfisher A332 (this is now the third one: VT-VJK, O and P) was ferried to ZRH today under a LH Technik registration number prior to transfer to Malta. Two other former Kingfisher A332s are on order by Arik Air.

According to Skyliner-aviation.de:
Airbus A330 -223 939 D-ALAB Lufthansa Technik ferried 03sep13 ZRH-SZW, Kingfisher cs ex VT-VJO

So, we know now that D-ALAA is in Malta, D-ALAB is in Parchim (EDOP). What about the last one, D-ALAC, if I remember good Still in ZRH or already in Malta???
And finally, what kind of facilities is it there (EDOP)?

[convair]

Skyliner also reports that 3 A332 (# 232, 238 and 247) of TAM have been returned to their lessor last week.

Someone mentioned here that one of the next A330s for SN could be coming from TAM next year.

[crew1990]

Does anyone knows how many A333 will join the SN fleet next summer?

[RoMax]

Does anyone knows how many A333 will join the SN fleet next summer?

Maybe none, I believe they'll add A332's first.

[crew1990]

Sorry I meaned A330

[RoMax]

Sorry I meaned A330

In that case, I don't know. I always hear two (one late this year/early next year and one more towards the summer), but nothing more than (internal/external) rumours for the moment.

[pigthebest]

According to Skyliner, another Kingfisher A332 (this is now the third one: VT-VJK, O and P) was ferried to ZRH today under a LH Technik registration number prior to transfer to Malta. Two other former Kingfisher A332s are on order by Arik Air.

According to Skyliner-aviation.de:
Airbus A330 -223 939 D-ALAB Lufthansa Technik ferried 03sep13 ZRH-SZW, Kingfisher cs ex VT-VJO

So, we know now that D-ALAA is in Malta, D-ALAB is in Parchim (EDOP). What about the last one, D-ALAC, if I remember good Still in ZRH or already in Malta???
And finally, what kind of facilities is it there (EDOP)?

D-ALAA was ferried two days ago from Malta to Parchim too.

According to Skyliner-aviation.de:
Airbus A330 -223 874 D-ALAA Lufthansa Technik ferried 08oct13 MLA-SZW, Kingfisher cs ex VT-VJK

No news about others A/C???