SN Brussels & Virgin Express towards a full merger

b-west · Post by **b-west** » 22 Mar 2006, 18:46

FlightSimCrew wrote:
b-west wrote:Wishfull thinking: They could try to get rid of some of the 737's... there must be a market somewhere for them... and replace them with some shiny longhaul birds.
Cant really follow your logic here.. why should medium haul routes be sacrificed to increase long haul business it are just these destinations that deliver the required feeding to operate more long haul.

True, but isn't the short/medium haul European market a teeny bet oversaturated? SN has a quite extensive shorthaul network with their Avro's, with a load factor that leaves room for growth. So maybe adding a few long haul destinations could help to fill up those avro's?

Advisor · Post by **Advisor** » 23 Mar 2006, 10:36

Did you know

Common Communication Team for Both SN Brussels Airlines and Virgin Express

Read more here

FlightSimCrew · Post by **FlightSimCrew** » 23 Mar 2006, 11:55

b-west wrote: True, but isn't the short/medium haul European market a teeny bet oversaturated? SN has a quite extensive shorthaul network with their Avro's, with a load factor that leaves room for growth. So maybe adding a few long haul destinations could help to fill up those avro's?

Yes it is, looking from AEA statistics European carriers lose around 1.5 billion dollars on EU and domestic routes mainly because they sacrifice these to feed long haul. I also believe that indeed a future for the two companies together is to expand long haul to offer a more attractive network on connections.

Actually the SNBA Avro are quite cheap with regards to ownership costs. If you stick with them on flying short haul sectors (max 1h30) they end up being far more economical than B737/A319 when operating at below 75-80% loadfactors !

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » 27 Mar 2006, 17:46

Sorry, in dutch only: http://www.standaard.be/Kanaal/Index.as ... d=G39Q2S43

but nothing new in the article.

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 28 Mar 2006, 16:40

SNBA found a new "possible" location after the merger with Virgin Express: the airport building. At this moment it's empty, SNBA will hire this from BIAC. Positive aspect, it's close to the tarmac and the crew is close to the aircrafts.

Other possibilities are The Corporate Village, Sabena House, the complex at Melsbroek where Lufthansa Technics and a department of SNBA is situated.

Source: Travel Magazine Newsletter.

b-west · Post by **b-west** » 28 Mar 2006, 19:05

Atlantis wrote:SNBA found a new "possible" location after the merger with Virgin Express: the airport building. At this moment it's empty, SNBA will hire this from BIAC.

The airport building is empty? Weird.. where do all the passengers go then

8)

winglets · Post by **winglets** » 29 Mar 2006, 19:26

Big news tomorrow?

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/ge ... #ID2687576

Boeing747-nurse · Post by **Boeing747-nurse** » 29 Mar 2006, 20:47

It's not tomorrow, but friday. SNBA will announce important news to his collaborators on Friday in Kinepolis Brusels.
This meeting will take place in the morning.
Press seems to be not alowed that day.

It's all about the merger between SNBA and Virgin Express

TWA · Post by **TWA** » 29 Mar 2006, 20:57

Winglets is right (I think), I have been told "the" businessplan wil be presented to all managing staff and unions tomorrow in a big hotel in a big city in Belgium. So I know what to do tomorrow, ....I just call somebody of the unions, as I cannot wait till the 31st .

Atlantis · Post by **Atlantis** » 29 Mar 2006, 21:58

If you read carefully this topic you can see that I gave the dates and the "activities" for those days. I don't expect more news before Friday because the council will give more explanations to the strategic plan on that day.
Tomorrow the Board will give the new plan and the figures of SNBA and Virgin Express to the SN Air Holding. Don't expect news tomorrow because big companies or multinationals don't allow this. But you can not be sure off course

Lukas_Ridgeston · Post by **Lukas_Ridgeston** » 29 Mar 2006, 23:00

I think SNBA needs to wake up and start to take the initiative. They were right to start some African routes from the beginning, but 4 years later... they have not done anything with the experience/reputation Sabena had on these routes. (which always was the reason they took over these routes)

They have not started any new routes, or increased the offer. Please, some days there are only two (2!) flights to Africa on SNBA (admittedly, they serve two destinations per flight)! It is a real shame they haven't had the guts/money/insight to turn BRU into the gateway to Africa.

These days, even KLM has more flights to Africa! (la honte!)

Add to this the horrible reputation of VEX in Belgium. They have changed their product and offer so many times, nobody knows what they will get!

And don't be too doubtfull about SN not being afraid of brand dilution - remember the "good old days" of Sabena flights to LHR on VEX aircraft???

ps is it true they will go back into the "Sabena House" building?

OOVEX · Post by **OOVEX** » 29 Mar 2006, 23:38

Why do you sound so bitter?

FlyA330 · Post by **FlyA330** » 30 Mar 2006, 11:16

Add to this the horrible reputation of VEX in Belgium.

Euh... I fly a lot as a passenger on different airlines both as a business and as an eco-passenger. I don't complain at all about VEX. They are correct and they are offering a good service. Cabin crew is always smiling and they are very proffesional. Yes, you have to pay for it but you know that in advance. Did you know that you also have to pay for everything when you are flying Iberia??? Bad service, they almost don't speak english and when you want something you need to take out your wallet....and this for a Major European Airline !!

Post by **airbuske** » 30 Mar 2006, 11:20

FlyA330 wrote:
Add to this the horrible reputation of VEX in Belgium.

Euh... I fly a lot as a passenger on different airlines both as a business and as an eco-passenger. I don't complain at all about VEX. They are correct and they are offering a good service. Cabin crew is always smiling and they are very proffesional. Yes, you have to pay for it but you know that in advance. Did you know that you also have to pay for everything when you are flying Iberia??? Bad service, they almost don't speak english and when you want something you need to take out your wallet....and this for a Major European Airline !!

I have a very good experience with Iberia and very bad experience with
VEX.
So it seems to be different for every passenger.

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 30 Mar 2006, 15:58

FlyA330 wrote:
Add to this the horrible reputation of VEX in Belgium.

Euh... I fly a lot as a passenger on different airlines both as a business and as an eco-passenger. I don't complain at all about VEX. They are correct and they are offering a good service. Cabin crew is always smiling and they are very proffesional. Yes, you have to pay for it but you know that in advance. Did you know that you also have to pay for everything when you are flying Iberia??? Bad service, they almost don't speak english and when you want something you need to take out your wallet....and this for a Major European Airline !!

I agree with Fly A330 : Virgin Express is, in my experience, quite a normal airline, professional and correct : nothing extraordinary, but certainly nothing horrible - and I don't think it truly has such a bad reputation in Belgium...

Schep · Post by **Schep** » 30 Mar 2006, 19:32

I agree with Fly330 ! I am in Nice for the moment I flew VEX last sunday to come here. The crew was very friendly and professionnal. Flight arrived 15 minutes earlier. I don't want more for a 1 hour 15 minutes flight... We cannot ask more to VEX... Fly SN then !

Lukas_Ridgeston · Post by **Lukas_Ridgeston** » 30 Mar 2006, 22:26

I am not bitter, I just think SNBA/VEX should start rolling out their new strategic plan/direction/vision sooner rather than later. They have lost a lot of time, and both airlines are struggling (as in stagnating, or only growing very marginally).

About VEX: it just amazes me how often they have changed direction/destinations/focus over the last few years... and almost nothing seemed to work...
[/quote]

ATC · Post by **ATC** » 30 Mar 2006, 23:11

http://www.flysn.com

the SN server is down for the moment...

Are they changing something important ?

ATC

Post by **airbuske** » 30 Mar 2006, 23:29

http://www.virginexpress.be/ is working

Strange that just now the SN is not working.

We will see...

SN_fan · Post by **SN_fan** » 30 Mar 2006, 23:30

flysn.be is still online