Brussels Airlines' second US destination

[RoMax]

Maybe they should indeed think about an A332 configuration with more C class, serving the North-American market. But with the current small fleet that doesn't seem easy to keep the flexibility. If they add another 2 it should be possible.
Especially for IAD and a possible evening flight to EWR or JFK such a configuration would be great. These are night flights with high yield traffic, more pax will be willing to pay for C class.

[convair]

I tend to agree with that. It looks like the "sisters" LH, OS and LX will have more C class seats. Iberia's new A333 will also have more C seats.[Btw, it must be frustrating for the SN people to learn that Iberia will receive 8 brand new A333 between now and March next year!]

[RoMax]

To EU norms, LH and LX have a VERY premium long haul fleet (I believe LX is one of the VERY few airlines around the world to have first class on the whole fleet). That's because GVA (tough only a JFK-route), ZRH, FRA en MUC are high yield markets. And that's probably too premium for SN/BRU (except for IAD maybe :p ), but the current gap is huge and indeed also OS is more premium (30-36 C seats on 767 and 49 on 777). SN having a certain amount of aircraft with 36 or 42 seats in C class seems reasonable. The only reason they still don't have such a configuration in my opinion is their big Africa-network that doesn't need the big C class (except maybe for 2-3 routes) and the limited flexibility with 1-2 aircraft in another configuration. So let's hope that with the increasing long haul fleet and US-network, they add a more premium configuration.

Btw, talking about Iberia, they just announced their new interior to be introduced on the A333-fleet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dwxlZrmouc

[Conti764]

Anyway, all this brings me back to one the issues I have with SN: IMHO, they have opted for a cabin configuration focussed too much on the back of the plane. For AFI this is indeed a good choice as this is a VFR driven market, but for transatlantic routes like JFK or IAD, it isn't and especially on IAD it will become obvious.

Second that. Although being ideal for C pax and the Westbound (US) tourists, the flight times are not exactly in favor of Westbound European tourists. Arriving that late in IAD, clearing customs and getting your luggage makes you loose an entire first day of your vacation.

The flight times are great in addition to UA's flight, but needs more premium equipment.

[RoMax]

the flight times are not exactly in favor of Westbound European tourists. Arriving that late in IAD, clearing customs and getting your luggage makes you loose an entire first day of your vacation.

Arriving at IAD around 14h after a 8h+ flight, having to clear customs at the most bussy time of the whole day at IAD for international arrivals, isn't exactly much better. Most tourists go directly to the hotel anyway to rest a bit and have dinner before going to bed early. Just as with business people, it's a largely wasted day anyway.

[OO-ITR]

I tend to agree with that. It looks like the "sisters" LH, OS and LX will have more C class seats. Iberia's new A333 will also have more C seats.[Btw, it must be frustrating for the SN people to learn that Iberia will receive 8 brand new A333 between now and March next year!]

What is the use of having a lot of C- class seats if you have to upgrade overbooked Y- class pax to C-class?
Which actually quiet often happens for SN. Esp. In high season.

[RoMax]

What is the use of having a lot of C- class seats if you have to upgrade overbooked Y- class pax to C-class?
Which actually quiet often happens for SN. Esp. In high season.

To/from Africa yes, but certain US destinations can use more C class seats for sure. IAD for example is a route on which they can sell so much C class, so if they have the possibility of having some A330's with a more premium configuration, they should do that.
SN's 22 C class seats in a A332...that's very low premium when compared to other carriers and it's perfect for Africa probably, but with an expanding fleet and an expanding network in the US, they should also think about another configuration.

[A330]

Happy to hear of these developments! Wish SN the best of luck to make this work, and make yet another step to succes.
Would be interesting to know how all members of the JV were thinking of this. SN going for another IAD flight in addition to UA, means SN and LH see a lot of potential there, or they see the importance for connections to EU and Africa for SN. You might say this is the most important transatlantic market of the JV at BRU! More than JFK.
About the flight times, I've heard several remarks already. I guess most important of all is that the combined schedule of UA and SN will now offer smooth connections on both sides, in both directions, and flight times according to anyone's preference. I guess this is the best they can do.
One question though. To be ideal, UA should move their departure out of BRU to earlier in the morning. Let's say around 10am. Otherwise passengers arriving on SN from Africa have to wait 5-6 hours for their connection. Any idea whether this will happen?

About the number of C class seats: is 30 really that few? After all, SN needs something in the balance between all their destinations. Can they handle a small fleet with different configurations, losing flexibility? Or just have all A332's with 30-36 C seats?

[RoMax]

About the number of C class seats: is 30 really that few? After all, SN needs something in the balance between all their destinations. Can they handle a small fleet with different configurations, losing flexibility? Or just have all A332's with 30-36 C seats?

They will always need the low premium configurations they currently have for Africa. And you can't have just 1 or even 2 A330's with another configuration in such a small fleet. Which is probably why they still don't have a more premium configuration. But when your fleet goes to about 10 aircraft, you could handle two different configurations. I don't know the details of SN's network/kind of passengers, so I can't say they must do it. But with an expanding US network, they should at least think seriously about it. Because 22 or even 30 C class seats is low for most US markets, especially for one like IAD and a possible evening flight to NYC (and BOS can also attract quite some high yield O&D and transfer traffic).

[Tomskii]

I tend to agree with that. It looks like the "sisters" LH, OS and LX will have more C class seats. Iberia's new A333 will also have more C seats.[Btw, it must be frustrating for the SN people to learn that Iberia will receive 8 brand new A333 between now and March next year!]

I don't see how SN would find this frustrating since they are not in the same alliance nor have they got any business?

Besides, I'll never set foot on an IB plane anymore since my few encounters with their 'cheerfull crew' *NOT*

[RoMax]

Not directly related to the SN flights to IAD, but after a reduction in domestic flights out of IAD (some time ago), there will also follow some (slight) reductions/changes in IAD-Europe capacity by UA, a summary:

- Amsterdam: from daily 763 to daily 757 as from 27 August
- Frankfurt: summer operation reduces from 3 to 2 daily, UA952/953 would have been operated daily with 763 as from the first of May 2013.
- London Heathrow: as from 31 March one daily flight will be operated by 757 instead of 763ER, but as from the 26th of April a 4th daily flight will start operating with 757 as well.
- Moscow: cancelled as from S13
- Munich: 764ER replaces UA 772ER
- Rome: 772ER used in S12 will be replaced by 763ER, and 764ER in high season (June-August)
- Zurich: 763ER operating as from 31 March until 26 August, 764ER as from that date again (improved again already, first it was 763ER for the whole summer season)

Source: airlineroute

Still no changes for BRU tough, still 764ER until early June and 772ER again as from that date.

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Any info about the sales on the BRU-IAD flights which will soon be operated by brussels airlines?

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Why no information about the bookings figures, as we are approaching the first flight? Is this start more difficult than New-York JFK last year?

[sn26567]

It is still possible to book seats for the inaugural flight through some travel agencies.

[airbuske]

Business class is almost full.
In economy class there are still a lot of seats available.
Return is almost full in Y.

On the 20th of june they will use the A330 - 300 iso A330-200.

[Wim fan]

I'll be on the return flight on the 20th of June (in Y).

Looking forward and will post the experience and an estimated load factor.

Regards,

Wim

[brusselsairlinesfan]

I'll be on the return flight on the 20th of June (in Y).

Looking forward and will post the experience and an estimated load factor.

Regards,

Wim

Thanks in advance!

[RoMax]

Of course it's not a great way to measure actual advance bookings succes of the IAD-route, but I found this in an article about SN's soon to be launched new route:

"According to Geert Sciot, Brussels Airlines’ vice president communication, advance bookings on the Washington route are encouraging. “They follow the same pattern as the forward bookings of New York,” he says. “We do not only attract passengers who fly to Washington or Brussels; we also register a lot of passengers who book connecting flights to other European destinations we serve,” adds Sciot."

http://www.airlinesanddestinations.com/ ... c-service/

[convair]

2 comments:

-The BRU departures board doesn't show any codeshare number; how come?

-Arrival at BRU at 12:10 doesn't allow connection with many AFI flghts.

Anyway, Good Luck for this new flight!

[RoMax]

The BRU departures board doesn't show any codeshare number; how come?

Flightstats shows UA and LH codeshare, but I don't know if these are correct and if so, I don't know why BRU doesn't show them (maybe starting from a later date).

Arrival at BRU at 12:10 doesn't allow connection with many AFI flghts.

According to De Tijd, Brussels Airlines says that on the first flight from IAD, there will passengers wich will fly on to OSL, CPH, ABJ, FIH and DLA.

Besides, you don't have to look at SN as a lonely carrier. You have to look at the 12 flights per week offered by Atlantic ++, 7 of these operated by UA (which have the best connections with AFI and those of SN, with the main goal the business demand for late afternoon flights to the US)