Air Belgium in 2018

[luchtzak]

Not to forget also VLM will fly to China soon.... from BRU (with all its advantages mentioned here above).

I wrote an article on the China expansion, people there want to travel. I think that there is enough market.

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/air-b ... and-china/

[Passenger]

breaking !
Fuel stop in LGG !

Euh... It's 31st January today, not 1st April.

[luchtzak]

Not to forget also VLM will fly to China soon.... from BRU (with all its advantages mentioned here above).

But VLM wants to start later this summer and to other cities than Hong Kong. --> Chengdu, Xian, Tjanjin and Wuhan

And U-Tour will launch new flights between Liege Airport and China. The first flight is scheduled to land at the Belgian airport on 24 April 2018, from Chengdu via Saint Petersburg1.
The next day Fuzhou-Liege is scheduled, with a stop in Moscow. Other flights are scheduled from the following cities: Taiyuan, Wuhan, Nanchang, Jinan, Zhengzhou, Guiyang. A total of 8 different cities, ranging from 3.5 million to more than 10 million inhabitants.

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/liege ... ne-iraero/

[Poiu]

The project is doomed and dead-born.

CX opens BRU in a few weeks time (and I hope it'll be a more successful operation than the DUS one) with an A350 and superb on-board product. Not to mention HU with the SZX flight out of BRU.

They have no feeder, no alliance, no interline, no local corporate or O&D market... and no cargo capabilities !

Reminds me of the VG venture... they won't even see 2020.

It will all depend upon the price.

[Poiu]

Higher thrust on take-off means a “shorter life” for the engines hence an extension of the runway is vital

Correct, but higher thrust on TO means less fuel consumption.

[Acid-drop]

I have the feeling that the choice for CRL is mostly politically motivated... Who choses an airport with a runway that can't handle a full A340 and offers very limited connection possibilities... (actually 0 since FR doesn't do connections)?

Maybe Air Wallonia was a better name.

It is. However, it will never be admitted publicly. This project is a Walloon vs Flemish battle. I'm also pretty sure the AOC is still not yet delivered for political reasons.

When Flanders wins, it's only normal.
When Wallonia wins, it becomes a political battle and everything is unfair.
It's one point of view.
From here, I have a different point of view : Wallonia invested massively in aviation, infrastructure, subsidies, political will. So yes, once in a while, it works
VLM will be the equivalent success in Flanders, and everybody is happy.

[Shonix]

I have the feeling that the choice for CRL is mostly politically motivated... Who choses an airport with a runway that can't handle a full A340 and offers very limited connection possibilities... (actually 0 since FR doesn't do connections)?

Maybe Air Wallonia was a better name.

It is. However, it will never be admitted publicly. This project is a Walloon vs Flemish battle. I'm also pretty sure the AOC is still not yet delivered for political reasons.

When Flanders wins, it's only normal.
When Wallonia wins, it becomes a political battle and everything is unfair.
It's one point of view.
From here, I have a different point of view : Wallonia invested massively in aviation, infrastructure, subsidies, political will. So yes, once in a while, it works
VLM will be the equivalent success in Flanders, and everybody is happy.

It's not yet a win. Up to now, Air Belgium is only advertising via the media and no results can be taken into account. However, I really hope Air Belgium will be a success but I still have my doubts.

[Linty]

From our point of view (as a Belgian passenger) this decision (flying from Charleroi) is economically an incomprehensible decision.
Chinese passengers will select on price and than I think AB will go first in competition with other airlines. The arrival airport is than less important. Is it in Brussels, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or Paris. They will make a tour in Europe anyway.

[ezis_bis]

It will all depend upon the price.

True. If they go after Chinese tourists, which might indeed be massive, the price will have to be very very low indeed.
Turning a profit though will remain difficult in my opinion.

Prices Brussels-Hong Kong are around €580 in september with Cathay Pacific and €500 with Xiamen Air (via Amsterdam)

I guess they'll have to be substantially lower than this, or charter-like, to attract a large Chinese crowd.

And to be honest, for €250-300 I wouldn't say no to a trip to Hong Kong

[Boavida]

I have the feeling that the choice for CRL is mostly politically motivated... Who choses an airport with a runway that can't handle a full A340 and offers very limited connection possibilities... (actually 0 since FR doesn't do connections)?

Maybe Air Wallonia was a better name.

It is. However, it will never be admitted publicly. This project is a Walloon vs Flemish battle. I'm also pretty sure the AOC is still not yet delivered for political reasons.

When Flanders wins, it's only normal.
When Wallonia wins, it becomes a political battle and everything is unfair.
It's one point of view.
From here, I have a different point of view : Wallonia invested massively in aviation, infrastructure, subsidies, political will. So yes, once in a while, it works
VLM will be the equivalent success in Flanders, and everybody is happy.

It's not about being unfair or not, it's about making the right (business!) choices to make this project a success. Politics is never a good idea with these kind of (aviation) projects, with Sabena being the saddest example of this. I do hope Air Belgium will be a great success, but let's be honest, BRU would have been a better choice.

This being said, Wallonia did a far better job with its regional airports compared to the old, rusty ones in Flanders!

[Shengenzone]

It is. However, it will never be admitted publicly. This project is a Walloon vs Flemish battle. I'm also pretty sure the AOC is still not yet delivered for political reasons.

When Flanders wins, it's only normal.
When Wallonia wins, it becomes a political battle and everything is unfair.
It's one point of view.
From here, I have a different point of view : Wallonia invested massively in aviation, infrastructure, subsidies, political will. So yes, once in a while, it works
VLM will be the equivalent success in Flanders, and everybody is happy.

It's not about being unfair or not, it's about making the right (business!) choices to make this project a success. Politics is never a good idea with these kind of (aviation) projects, with Sabena being the saddest example of this. I do hope Air Belgium will be a great success, but let's be honest, BRU would have been a better choice.

This being said, Wallonia did a far better job with its regional airports compared to the old, rusty ones in Flanders!

Because there is the silent agreement. Flanders: seaports Wallonia: airports

[Shonix]

CRL's success is only due thanks to Ryanair. Without Ryanair, we'd never be talking of CRL. Have a look at Ostend or Antwerp airports. Nobody cares.

Air Belgium could bring a new dimension to CRL, only if it succeeds. Otherwise, if CRL does not attract other long-haul airlines, they'll loose a lot of money in costly infrastructure projects dedicated to accommodate (operational!) long-haul flights. It will be a hit or miss.

[regi]

It is great to fly A-340 again.
What is their history?

[Passenger]

It is great to fly A-340 again.
What is their history?

http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Finn ... d-a340.htm

[Passenger]

Based upon a few old posts here, I think that at least one aircraft is parked at Teruel (Spain) and one at Tarbes (Lourdes-FR). If so indeed, a 340 could show up on of these airports:

Teruel:
https://www.flightradar24.com/40.55,-1.37/10

Tarbes-Lourdes:
https://www.flightradar24.com/43.68,-0.66/8

[regi]

thanks, that was a quick reply.

[Mr.Positive]

Hey guys and girls, whoever you are: just give this project a chance! Never mind whether they wish to operate from Charleroi or Ostend or Brussels or Liège, never mind if they will transport ‘cheap’ tourists from China or boat crews due to rotate on ships, or European passengers perhaps fed into CRL thru whatever short haul operators that also happen to use CRL.

Why not take into account the airline will be run by a seasoned airline manager from Belgium, that it also seems to have shareholders on the Hong Kong end of its story, and the presence of Directors with Russian like surnames may hint to more - as of yet undisclosed- plans, both commercial/operational and financial.

There have been other successful airlines in the past in Europe that on day one started with just one aircraft.

I have been reading (too) many irrelevant posts on this thread.

Success to all, and very specifically to those building their professional hopes on this new Air Belgium.

[Not Real]

I have the feeling that the choice for CRL is mostly politically motivated... Who choses an airport with a runway that can't handle a full A340 and offers very limited connection possibilities... (actually 0 since FR doesn't do connections)?

Maybe Air Wallonia was a better name.

It is. However, it will never be admitted publicly. This project is a Walloon vs Flemish battle. I'm also pretty sure the AOC is still not yet delivered for political reasons.

When Flanders wins, it's only normal.
When Wallonia wins, it becomes a political battle and everything is unfair.
It's one point of view.
From here, I have a different point of view : Wallonia invested massively in aviation, infrastructure, subsidies, political will. So yes, once in a while, it works
VLM will be the equivalent success in Flanders, and everybody is happy.

Where Flanders wins in aviation? The 2 biggest airport in a whole country are french speaking meanwhile french speaking people is only 35% - 40% of the population in Belgium!

Second thing - all those "Chinese tourist" will visit Brussels, Gent, Brugge, Antwerpen - not Liege of Namur. So why Charleroi? Because of politic, so yes - Air Wallonia should be the name.

Third - yes, Flanders has VLM and nobody helps the company, neither the airport of Antwerpen. I don't understand why as more tourist come to Belgium to visit Flanders and Brussels...

[crew1990]

CRL's success is only due thanks to Ryanair. Without Ryanair, we'd never be talking of CRL. Have a look at Ostend or Antwerp airports. Nobody cares.

Ryanair flown to Ostende and Ostende didn't manage to keep them. Charleroi made the right investment to attract Ryanair in Charleroi, if Antwerp would have done the same, then we would have been certainly a Antwerp Brussels North Airport as it's closer to Brussels. So yes Ryanair play a very big roles in the success of CRL but this is first thanks to the investment of Wallonia. Don't get me wrong, I'm a proud Belgian and I'm very happy to have successful Walloon airport thanks to the Walloon investment and amazing seaport thanks to the flemish investment.

[Airbus330lover]

CRL's success is only due thanks to Ryanair. Without Ryanair, we'd never be talking of CRL. Have a look at Ostend or Antwerp airports. Nobody cares.

Ryanair flown to Ostende and Ostende didn't manage to keep them. Charleroi made the right investment to attract Ryanair in Charleroi, if Antwerp would have done the same, then we would have been certainly a Antwerp Brussels North Airport as it's closer to Brussels. So yes Ryanair play a very big roles in the success of CRL but this is first thanks to the investment of Wallonia. Don't get me wrong, I'm a proud Belgian and I'm very happy to have successful Walloon airport thanks to the Walloon investment and amazing seaport thanks to the flemish investment.

Thanks for your positive post