brussels airlines operating the A380... any chance?

[brusselsairlinesfan]

As a Sabena/SN Brussels Airlines/brussels airlines fan, I still remember the time when I was flying CDG-FRA through BRU just for the pleasure of being aboard the Sabena planes...

At that time, I was dreaming when seeing the 747-300's of SABENA during my BRU stop (btw, what did they become by now?!).

So my question is : any chance to see brussels airlines operating the A380 in the future (e.g : between BRU & FIH?!).

I think one would more reasonably think about the A33Os & A350s series in terms of long-haul fleet renewal but... how knows... dreams are beautiful aren't they?!

Cheers,

Vincent

[RoMax]

A 747 from Lufthansa is possible over a few years for flights to Africa, but a A380 is a bit to BIG for SN. Maybe over 10 years.

[Acid-drop]

We could suggest it for the Brussels-Strasbourg very usefull every month migration of the european clowns

[regi]

Acid-drop: you make a point !
Many European MP's do all kind of tricks to assemble airmiles on their personnel account.
But many companies oblige their employees to transfer the airmiles to their company.
If a member here has contacts with a european MP , can he transfer my suggestion please?

[Conti764]

An SN A380? Never gonna happen... A 747-4/8 maybe in time, but an A380 is just way to big for SN.

[Jipe]

I think there is no chance to see an A-380 at BRU and nor in SN colors for two reasons.

1) the infrasructure of the piers are not ready for a double deck aircraft. It cost to adapt a gate and BAC will not agree to pay it for sporadic use.
2) SN will not take the A-380 as they are under control of LH. Then, it is easier to send passenger to Fraport if an 380 is needed and more rentable.

[Conti764]

I think there is no chance to see an A-380 at BRU and nor in SN colors for two reasons.

1) the infrasructure of the piers are not ready for a double deck aircraft. It cost to adapt a gate and BAC will not agree to pay it for sporadic use.
2) SN will not take the A-380 as they are under control of LH. Then, it is easier to send passenger to Fraport if an 380 is needed and more rentable.

When 9W announced the BRU operations in the halleluja-happy-happy-joy-joy-atmosphere they were back then, wasn't 9W considering ordering the A380 to fly on some particular routes? Things have changed now, but if 9W worked out very well, an A380 at BRU would have become an option.

[jan_olieslagers]

If a member here has contacts with a european MP , can he transfer my suggestion please?

How many airmiles do you want in exchange?

[BrightCedars]

Aviation in the early 3rd millenium has little to do with aviation in the second half of the 20th century.

There is one and only one route that could justify and sustain an A380 out of BRU under present circumstances and that is BRU-FIH. But, that route is not even served daily by a smaller aircraft and it would make better business sense to run it twice or even three times a day by A330/A350/B787/B777 before considering using the A380 on it.

In the times of State owned and glamorous Sabena, pockets were deep, there was something of pride to fly the Jumbo, and there was no real alternative to offer comfortable long-haul nonstop travel to the likes of NY and Tokyo. Since then the very succesful B767 and A310/A300 have provided the means for many airlines to offer this product at a lower risk. And this trend is the foundation of 21st century aviation: daily point-to-point service over very long distances; there are exceptions and there is a market for A380 routes but I am convinced the former business model is the most succesful.

If you ask me, I'd prefer to see 3 A330/A350/B787/B777s SN001, SN003 and SN005 scheduled for departure to FIH everyday of the week around 10a, 14p and 23p.

Sure OO-SGC and OO-SGD were beautiful noticeable birds and I dreamt thanks to them too, but they are a thing of the past as far as BRU is concerned.

[regi]

The A380 could also be used economically for shorter distances.
Example: Brussels-Istanbul during summer time. You would attract many Turkish people travelling back home , but many holiday makers as well. The passengers would come from Belgium, but also from the Netherlands ( proven already by the sudden influx after the increased airport tax ) and the Ruhr area as well. So, just the opposite as what Düsseldorf is doing now.
And if Brussels doesn't have yet the docking, there could be stairs used as well.
You would be surprised to see what people are prepared to endure to save some money on tickets.
Other destinations could be Tenerife ( landing possibilities? ), Johannesburg ( soccer championship upcoming) , Bangkok, Shanghai,...

[fretn]

just face it,
they have a couple of A330 atm and that's it.
no way they ever will order it, LH would never aggree and it's way too big for a brand like SN.
I see them ordering A350 in the future, but nothing else except for some 330-200 & 300's.

[regi]

Yes Fretn, despite my positive reply before, I think we have to be realistic and bow our heads in humbliness.

[BrightCedars]

Yes Fretn, despite my positive reply before, I think we have to be realistic and bow our heads in humbliness.

It's not being humble Regi, I would have preferred to see Sabena operated 6 B767s instead of 2 B747s 15 years ago when KL was in full expansion. Choosing an aircraft like the A380 for SN today would be planting the seeds for another demise. Of the two schools (point-to-point or hub and spoke), SN's niche clearly lies in the first school and thus needs more airplanes like the B787-8 than even like the already larger A350-800.

[Conti764]

Yes Fretn, despite my positive reply before, I think we have to be realistic and bow our heads in humbliness.

It's not being humble Regi, I would have preferred to see Sabena operated 6 B767s instead of 2 B747s 15 years ago when KL was in full expansion. Choosing an aircraft like the A380 for SN today would be planting the seeds for another demise. Of the two schools (point-to-point or hub and spoke), SN's niche clearly lies in the first school and thus needs more airplanes like the B787-8 than even like the already larger A350-800.

If SN would have sticked to Boeing in the first place, we would still be seeing eurowhite planes with the dark blue S-tail at BRU...

[Bralo20]

If SN would have sticked to Boeing in the first place, we would still be seeing eurowhite planes with the dark blue S-tail at BRU...

²nd that...

[Newfoundland]

In my personnal opinion, speaking about Sabena, the best solution was taken... drop a curtsy with the most possible dignity . Unlike Swissair, all planes returned to their main base, with honnor.(If we can talk of honnor in such a dramatic case).
A sad page of history has now been turned, boeing's or no boeing's we can know think again of a brighter future and dream... aren't we now dreaming of brussels airlines operating A380's...?
Post tenebras spero lucem.

[Air Key West]

Light has already come after darkness thanks to LH, but considering that SN could operate an A380 in any foreseeable future is definitely one of the most unrealistic dreams on this forum. And do we really want an A380 or to fly an A380 ? Bigger is not necessarily better. Some say : small is beautiful.

[Ducatibiker]

380 with First Class ? Cuvee Rare and Caviar like on LH ? Limo service to the aicraft like in Frankfurt ? Separate security and passport check ? Yeah, keep on dreaming...

[andorra-airport]

At that time, I was dreaming when seeing the 747-300's of SABENA during my BRU stop (btw, what did they become by now?!)

19/11/1970 Sabena OO-SGA
01/04/1993 Nationair OO-SGA
09/12/1994 Demolition

04/12/1970 Sabena OO-SGB
14/12/1990 Garuda C-GNXH
31/03/1991 Nationair C-GNXH
26/05/1991 Garuda C-GNXH
15/11/1991 Nationair C-GNXH
01/10/1992 Garuda C-GNXH
29/01/1993 Saudia C-GNXH
07/03/1993 Nationair C-GNXH
01/01/1994 FSBU N822AL

10/06/1986 Sabena OO-SGC
16/02/2000 FICC N3439F

25/09/1990 Sabena OO-SGD
15/10/1999 FSB N24837
16/05/2000 Atlas Air N24837 Converted 747-329F
18/06/2002 Polar Air Cargo N24837
11/05/2004 Air Atlanta Icelandic TF-ARY lsd from EAST Trust - Stored 08/2005
06/10/2005 Air Bridge Cargo VP-BIC Stored at MST 12/2008

Maybe not all correct, but someting like this.

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Thank you very much for the information!!!