2013 Charleroi airport (CRL/EBCI) latest news

[sean1982]

Pegasus will keep flying from BRU too or only CRL?

Seems they are moving. Brussels Airport reacted quite angry that once again the Walloon subsidy system achieved in stealing passengers(/an airline) from BRU with tax money.

oh for Christ sake ..... it's called economic stimulation. Who's stopping the Brussels government from doing the same?

[crew1990]

And a few years ago it was Air Arabia witch change CRL for BRU, now it Pegasus the other way around, no jealouse.

[RoMax]

oh for Christ sake ..... it's called economic stimulation. Who's stopping the Brussels government from doing the same?

First of all, BRU's words, not mine.
Secondly, the Brussels Government doesn't have anything to do with this airport (on Flemish ground and owned for 25% by the Federal Government). And wether they support the airport or not, that is out of their own power.

[RoMax]

And a few years ago it was Air Arabia witch change CRL for BRU, now it Pegasus the other way around, no jealouse.

And Belle Air if I rememeber correctly? Though it remains a fact they loose passengers due to CRL and they don't receive the same support so in fact it is unfair competition.

[Inquirer]

What I don't really understand is that they talked about a daily flight yesterday, yet that in de Tijd of today, they talk about a move from Brussels to Charleroi.
From my own recent observations, they seem to have far more than just a daily flight to BRU however, or are all those summer charters?
Would be interesting to have confirmation and/or clarification, because the communication is very confusing, to say the least!

[RoMax]

What I don't really understand is that they talked about a daily flight yesterday, yet that in de Tijd of today, they talk about a move from Brussels to Charleroi.
From my own recent observations, they seem to have far more than just a daily flight to BRU however, or are all those summer charters?
Would be interesting to have confirmation and/or clarification, because the communication is very confusing, to say the least!

I believe their only sheduled flight to BRU, is that flight from Istanbul. Maybe they do operate some extra sheduled flights in the summer season, but I believe most (if not all) of them are charters (for example for Thomas Cook).

[Inquirer]

That's why I recall seeing several Pegasus planes at the terminal at the same time... thank you!

[sean1982]

oh for Christ sake ..... it's called economic stimulation. Who's stopping the Brussels government from doing the same?

First of all, BRU's words, not mine.
Secondly, the Brussels Government doesn't have anything to do with this airport (on Flemish ground and owned for 25% by the Federal Government). And wether they support the airport or not, that is out of their own power.

So then it's up to the federale government. Doesnt matter who, fact is that there is nothing unfair about it. Every government chooses what they want to support all by themselves. If BRU THINKS it's unfair maybe they should lobby a bit more, instead of throwing their toys out of the pram crying "it's unfair" everytime a competitor wins a contract. Belgians are good at that apparently.

[crlhub]

'Trop is te veel' says Antoine regional minister

http://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/pol ... 8368bf73b2

[Atlantis]

Pegasus will keep flying from BRU too or only CRL?

Seems they are moving. Brussels Airport reacted quite angry that once again the Walloon subsidy system achieved in stealing passengers(/an airline) from BRU with tax money.

oh for Christ sake ..... it's called economic stimulation. Who's stopping the Brussels government from doing the same?

Haha LOL no sir, the Brussels government is doing the opposite. They are sending penalties to all those Brussels Airport airlines when they cross the noise level!!!!

It is indeed a not equal battle, not at all and this you can see every day when you have knowledge about it.

Brussels airport is becoming more and more an Island in this country. Is there any government in this country who wants to support Brussels Airport: Flemish, Brussels, Federal???? I don't think so. It is an everyday battle and a whole army of people, from low to high, has to fight every day to keep this airport running.
Nobody here is waving with money to convince airlines to come to BRU as it even is not allowed for this airport.

So telling, what I can read here on this forum, that it is an equal battle, that's total bullshit. It is not and you should be in the business to see it. You become sick when you see all "those movements" behind the scenes.

[sean1982]

The fact that Zaventem is a communotaire problem is not CRL's problem so why should they care? Problem with BRU is that the Brussels region wants all of the rewards and none of the duties attached to it. The want the flemish to pay, they want the noise over the "Vlaamse rand" (look at the new wind rules) and agreed this is all disgusting but does CRL need to hold back because of that? I think not

[crew1990]

I agree with the fact that the battle is not equal, however, Brussels Airport have a huge advantage that CRL will never have and money will not change anything, the location, just next to Brussels. And CRL already lost some client because of it.

BSCA will never have company such Turkish Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa or those kind of company, the only airlines they can attract are the low cost airlines, so let it for them.

Also if the low cost airlines move to CRL it will be good for SN as there will be less "direct" concurence with the low cost, I'm sure TK is happy about the fact Pegasus moves to CRL.

[Acid-drop]

The noise issues and the money issues are very separated.
CRL was able to grow only because BRU was unable to match the expectaction of both the low fares airlines and the pax who like cheap tickets and limited services. It was a fair battle, in Belgium and in other countries.

A private company stole clients of another private company, there is nothing weird here.
If you want something, make it happen. Crying like a baby "i want my panda" will not help much.

[Air2D2]

Has anyone got an idea which airline will be flying out of Charleroi for Thomas Cook, next year ?
Will this be TCA, or might this be Pegasus or another Turkish carrier ?

[flightlover]

The noise issues and the money issues are very separated.
CRL was able to grow only because BRU was unable to match the expectaction of both the low fares airlines and the pax who like cheap tickets and limited services. It was a fair battle, in Belgium and in other countries.

A private company stole clients of another private company, there is nothing weird here.
If you want something, make it happen. Crying like a baby "i want my panda" will not help much.

For being a private company there is an awful lot of regional investment.
http://www.charleroi-airport.com/en/the ... index.html

- Region Wallone loco sogepa
- Sowaer
- Sambrinvest (40% Region Wallone Sowalfin)

All tallied up it gives over 50% of stakes held by the Region Wallonne.

And there you have the reason why they are doing their utmost best to stop Brussels Airport in its quest for growth.

[airazurxtror]

Brussels Airport has refused point-blank to set up an LCC terminal.
That an LCC, not wanting to pay the fees for a marble-plated terminal, go to Charleroi is no wonder.
As a Brussels inhabitant, I would much prefer BRU to set up an LCC terminal and have a lot of LCC, but that is not their choice, and I sincerely regret it.

[Inquirer]

Airlines are free to move and airports free to compete over them, but it's a fact that all of this is not really very much contributing to the Belgian economy, quite on the contrary. Any foreign airline already present moving from one Belgian airport to another one (and saving quite a few bucks by doing so, most likely), is in fact a loss for all of us, regardless which direction they move in.

BRU and CRL would better work together, iso fight each other: they can easily be each other's complement, but I get a feeling regional politicians obviously want to show success in their own backyard, even if it comes at a cost to the country that backyard is in.

CRL could be BRU's low cost terminal with its own Runway, and vice versa, BRU would be CRL's premium traffic and connecting traffic location. IMHO, ALL of the public shareholding in Belgian airports should be brought under a single holding company, yet our federal country is a pretty patheticly run place, indeed, where everything is cut up and divided into infinitesimally small mini-kingdoms.

Compare it to a multi-national where each business entity would try to fight the others, e.g. Coca-Cola Belgium trying to grow their business by exporting their product to France at rock bottom prices, in competition with Coca-Cola France. I guess Atlanta would give them a call within seconds!

[Acid-drop]

That an LCC, not wanting to pay the fees for a marble-plated terminal, go to Charleroi is no wonder.

It summarize it all. No need to discuss further.
We all can be happy that the move is within the same country and they don't go to MST or LIL.

BRU and CRL would better work together

They actually do work together already by having very clearly separated kind of clients.
Meaning there is actually no competition, only a share between the 2 main belgian airports.

The fact that they are in 2 different regions should not even be a concern if you are not one of those flemish extremist. If you are one of those extremsist, let's have a talk (in private obviously) about all those zoning around brussels (Vilvoorde, Diegem, ...), made to steal the international companies that would normally be in brussels region.

[fcw]

BRU and CRL would better work together, iso fight each other: they can easily be each other's complement, but I get a feeling regional politicians obviously want to show success in their own backyard, even if it comes at a cost to the country that backyard is in.

CRL could be BRU's low cost terminal with its own Runway, and vice versa, BRU would be CRL's premium traffic and connecting traffic location. IMHO, ALL of the public shareholding in Belgian airports should be brought under a single holding company, yet our federal country is a pretty patheticly run place, indeed, where everything is cut up and divided into infinitesimally small mini-kingdoms.

I quite like the idea.
It could be supported by a trainlink CRL- Brussels- BRU- Antwerp- Rotterdam.

[Acid-drop]

If you are a private investor with a vision, you could still do it.
Having premium and low cost in the same company is a fantastic asset, look volkswaven.