DoT approves Brussels Airlines entry into Atlantic Plus Plus

[RoMax]

"Back in April 2011, Star Alliance partners filed joint motion to include Brussels Airlines in their existing immunized alliance and joint venture, and more specifically allow Lufthansa to integrate Brussels Airlines into Atlantic Plus-Plus (A++) immunized joint venture with Air Canada and United Airlines.

The DOT found the request presented a unique situation as Brussels Airlines is a stand alone airline enterprise, with minority equity ownership interest by Lufthansa Airlines, however yet LH exerts control over strategic and commercial decisions of Brussels Airlines.

Ultimately the DOT found that Lufthansa has substantially the same ability and incentive to manage Brussels Airlines like its majority owned affiliates in the context of its international services, and that granting the motion would enhance consumer benefits particularly over North America-Africa markets where Brussels Airlines serves host of unique markets which would be integrated into the the alliance."

source: airliners.net

[HighInTheSky]

Very good!

This was one of the major requirements for SN to start TATL ops.

I wonder if the decision between terminal 1 or 4 at JFK has already been taken...

Now we just have to wait to recieve the scheduele and startdate of the flights... Let the bookings begin!

[Treeper]

that's positive news, something that's going to be welcomed in the HQs. now they have the oppurtunity and aircraft to fly TATL. let's hope there'll be news on this soon...

[Homo Aeroportus]

So, shall we see again the SN541 & 548 on the timetables?

BTW, has SN ever had more than one return flight to JFK?
Was it pure optimism that led them posting SN541 outbound and using 548 for the inbound, reserving the 542 to 547 sequence for a possible three additional flights?

Can't be they were already planning higher frequency using smaller birds, can it?
Turboprops??
:silent:



H.A.

[YYZ727]

I remember there being two daily SN operated JFK flights, one by 747 and one evening flight by an A310. That must have been in the mid to late nineties....

[Stij]

I remember 2 daily to JFK, and one daily to EWR. All 330 or 340 flights.

[airtrainer]

So, shall we see again the SN541 & 548 on the timetables?

BTW, has SN ever had more than one return flight to JFK?
Was it pure optimism that led them posting SN541 outbound and using 548 for the inbound, reserving the 542 to 547 sequence for a possible three additional flights?

They had 2 daily flights in 2002 if I'm not mistaken, one served by an A330 and the other by an A340.
Looking at an old boarding pass one of the JFK-BRU flight was SN552 (A340).

[RoMax]

They had 2 daily flights in 2002 if I'm not mistaken, one served by an A330 and the other by an A340.
Looking at an old boarding pass one of the JFK-BRU flight was SN552 (A340).

Don't you mean 2001? If I remember well, Sabena didn't exist anymore in 2002, or am I mistaken? (and SN never operated to NYC before)

Anyway, as far as I know they indeed operated 2 daily flights to JFK. With one operated by A330 (the morning flight I think) and one operated by A340 (evening flight I think).
They also operated to EWR one daily for a while (for a few years), but this was suspended in 2000 or 2001.

[airtrainer]

Don't you mean 2001? If I remember well, Sabena didn't exist anymore in 2002, or am I mistaken? (and SN never operated to NYC before)

Anyway, as far as I know they indeed operated 2 daily flights to JFK. With one operated by A330 (the morning flight I think) and one operated by A340 (evening flight I think).
They also operated to EWR one daily for a while (for a few years), but this was suspended in 2000 or 2001.

My mistake, it was 2001 indeed !
I flew BRU-JFK on the evening flight in april 2001 and the flight was operated by an A330 (can't remember the flight number, and I'm missing the reg. btw )

[RoMax]

My mistake, it was 2001 indeed !
I flew BRU-JFK on the evening flight in april 2001 and the flight was operated by an A330 (can't remember the flight number, and I'm missing the reg. btw )

That's also possible, I also tought the evening flight was (mostly) operated by an A340 as these evening flights were quite succesfull.

Maybe an idea for SN when Jet ever leaves the BRU-JFK market (when they start to operate non-stop and don't need the stop in BRU anymore or when they leave if they don't join Star) to also start an evening flight to JFK (or EWR). Doesn't have to be daily but something between 4/week and daily or something.
Altough I don't see this happening in the near future, don't even know if it would work with the increased competition to NYC (altough SN should easily be able to beat the AA and DL offer based on service offered, maybe even price).

[cathay belgium]

ask skystef or brubiac the reg those guys are great!
give them your boardingpass details,they helped a lot of luchtzakkers on their previous regs!
cx.b
sorry brubiac and skystef to give you a bit of work;)

[airtrainer]

ask skystef or brubiac the reg those guys are great!
give them your boardingpass details,they helped a lot of luchtzakkers on their previous regs!
cx.b
sorry brubiac and skystef to give you a bit of work;)

I'm quite new to this forum, did a research this week and see that some members can make miracles indeed ! I'm currently trying to update my logbook by doing some research on my own (and God knows I spend a lot of time doing this, but it's also part of the excitement !), once the list is shortened I will try to ask our fellow members for some additional help
Thanks for the tip !

[tolipanebas]

This is definitely the second element of good news from the longhaul front in just a couple of days, the first one being the formal transfer of all LH airlines group flights from SWISS to brussels airlines as from next summer season.

BTW, quite interesting to read how the US DoT has been totally convinced by the applicants (i.e. SN and LH) that Lufthansa is already calling the shots when it comes to strategic and network decisions by SN.

Now, let's see what plans our management presents us as their plan for our medium haul operations, next week.

[BrightCedars]

This is good news for SN, it reduces considerably the risk of venturing on the TATL market.

My history on BRU-NYC:

28-APR-2000 SN 551 BRU-JFK 332 C (Upgrade!)
01-MAY-2000 SN 538 JFK-BRU 343 Y

I also flew to EWR with SN operated by CityBird M1E.

I remember there being a morning and an evening flight to JFK, plus the EWR one.
So up to 3 daily BRU-NYC by SN at some point in time.

There is a long history with the flight numbers between BRU and JFK and my guess is some numbers were used at some point in time. Don't forget SN 548 crashed on landing in BRU in 1961, I'm even surprised they still used the flight number after that.

New SN should keep things simple: SN 1 to JFK and SN 2 back to BRU!

[Homo Aeroportus]

Don't forget SN 548 crashed on landing in BRU in 1961, I'm even surprised they still used the flight number after that.

Yes, a tragic accident. Not sure the real cause was determined though. Seem to remember they could not recover from a bank.

You're right about SN continuing with that flight number while many others don't.
So while today there is no more a TWA800, an SR111 or a PanAM103, (OK, good reason for that ...) an airline that is not the original one could file a flight with that SN548 number !
Well the real SN kept using it for years and I clocked a lot of hours on that bus to and from JFK, all uneventful so no reason to be supersticious.

On the other hand, BA keeps its BA009 on the Kangaroo route. Speedbird 9 is this 747 that was later christened "The Flying Ashtray" back in the early 80's after having flown through volcano ashes and its 15-minute glide.

H.A.

[Stij]

I also tought the evening flight was (mostly) operated by an A340 as these evening flights were quite succesfull.

I think the principal reason why it vwas mostly an A340 in the evening was that it was technically connected with the NRT return:

Lunchtime arrival from JFK
Afternoon departure to NRT
Late afternoon arrival from NRT
Evening departure to JFK.

Kind regards,

Stij

[brusselsairlinesfan]

When will SN confirm the launch of the US flight?
When/where will this new service start?

[convair]

In the old days of the 707, in late sixties, SN used to have 2 daily NYC + up to 2 additionnal ones on certain days. Numbers used were 541, 543, 545, 547 and of course 2/4/6/8 for the returns.

Some of these flights were continuing to Moscow and(?)/or Vienna.

At least 1 707 even had the Sabena livery on 1 side and the Austrian one on the other side. I can't tell which year though. Does anyone remember that?

[tolipanebas]

interesting article on SN's entry into Atlantic++, including some quotes on their planned flight to New York as well as future collaboration with other STAR alliance airlines globally.

http://atwonline.com/airline-finance-da ... -plus-1117

for info: the IATA slot conference in Singapore is being held from November 17-19.