Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

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White Light
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by White Light »

Bralo20 wrote:You know, you'll all keep fighting over Brussels Airlines or Eurowings, I think we should go for the 3th option, a dormant, yet famous brand: Sabena.
I agree, but nobody seems to understand the added value of the Sabena brand especially in Africa, where LH will probably only allow brussels Airlines to really expand.

Stij
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Stij »

And if I'm not mistaken: still in the bankruptcy: you can't just use that brand... And I don't know its price...

Cheers,

Stij

Bralo20
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Bralo20 »

Stij wrote:And if I'm not mistaken: still in the bankruptcy: you can't just use that brand... And I don't know its price...

Cheers,

Stij
Well actually they can use the brand. The brand itself is already owned by SN Airholding at the moment, it was sold out of the bankruptcy a few years ago if I remember correctly.

Regarding the bankruptcy... Not sure but thought it was closed (except for the lawsuits), the company was cancelled in 2014 as published in the Belgian State Paper (or how is it called in English?).

However, today there are still a few original Sabena companies doing business and yearly publishing figures (and thus not in bankruptcy):

Sabena Hotels NV (still ownes & operate the Memling in Kinshasha)
Sabena Leasing NV

Most others were cancelled in 2013/2014

Stij
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Stij »

I stand corrected!

Thanks for the info!

Cheers,

Stij

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Conti764
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Conti764 »

If I remember correctly, I have once red that they wouldn't bring back the brand due to the memories of the bankruptcy, both by customers and (former) staff...

I very much liked their last c/s... But then again I am a great fan op eurowhites..

Boavida
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Boavida »

Sabena had one of the best logos in aviation history. Clear, simple, recognizable and classy.

Image

A recognizable brand is so, so important for a company. It's in every marketing handbook. The Brussels Airlines brand is not very appealing and is only now starting to get a bit more known outside Belgium. But it still doesn't come close to the Sabena brand - and probably never will.

I think the re-introduction of the Sabena brand could be very successful, with the right marketing campaign (classic name witch rich history, but new company). I think it would draw a lot of attention worldwide. Lots of free publicity. Imagine the impact of headlines like "Sabena is coming back to Africa"

Just look at the enthusiasm people have if an airline paints some of its planes in a 'classic'/retro livery. People like this return to good 'ol times, even if it's symbolic.

The full name could be Sabena Belgian Airlines (to make the necessary difference with the old company). Let's hope that some day SN stands for Sabena again - as it should be...

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sn26567
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by sn26567 »

I certainly agree: the S-tail (it was their call sign), their very personal Sabena font, the best eurowhite livery ever, etc.

But I know only too well that this is a dream, awake!
André
ex Sabena #26567

White Light
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by White Light »

Boavida wrote:The full name could be Sabena Belgian Airlines (to make the necessary difference with the old company
What about this compromise : Sabena Brussels Airlines ? And, of course, the typical Sabena logo.
Conti764 wrote:I have once red that they wouldn't bring back the brand due to the memories of the bankruptcy, both by customers and (former) staff...
The trauma of Sabena's demise should be over now, fifteen years later ! Noone should be afraid to reintroduce the brand today.

sean1982
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by sean1982 »

The trauma with customers may be over, but its far from over with staff. There is still a lot of ressentiment and anger brewing underneath the skin of many ex-sabeniens and its mostly responsible why the atmosphere in belgian aviation is what it is.

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Conti764
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Conti764 »

White Light wrote:
Boavida wrote:The full name could be Sabena Belgian Airlines (to make the necessary difference with the old company
What about this compromise : Sabena Brussels Airlines ? And, of course, the typical Sabena logo.
Conti764 wrote:I have once red that they wouldn't bring back the brand due to the memories of the bankruptcy, both by customers and (former) staff...
The trauma of Sabena's demise should be over now, fifteen years later ! Noone should be afraid to reintroduce the brand today.
I agree... I'd go for it immediately, but I believe this is their official view on the matter...

crew1990
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by crew1990 »

keeping the name sabena would have be great if it was done right after the bankrupt but now it's too late. For all people who are under 30 year's old, Brussels Airlines is better know than this Sabena (that we didn't heard of it since 15 years) only the aviation enthusiast from who are older than 30-40 years old now still considering Sabena as a big brand, but I think it's just some kind of nostalgia thinking that before was better. But for majority of the people Brussels Airlines is now a real brand getting better known year after year. And thanks to Tomorowland, Bike for Africa, the Ebola crisis, and our Red Devils we are actually having a good reputation outside of Belgium, and all those stuf are made around Brusssels Airlines brand, not this Sabena thing.

Inquirer
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Inquirer »

Personally, I wouldn't bother reviving a relict of a name either.
It has been some 15 years since the last Sabena flight took off and over that period brussels airlines have indeed built their own brand and reputation.
Whereas at first they stood in the shadow of Sabena and could be seen as a dull continuation of them, I think it's safe to say that over the past few years, they have stepped out of the shadow of it's defunct predecessor and tried o build a recognizable brand image of their own: that of a modernized, customer oriented and fairly successful and competitive airline.
It's not exactly the image the Sabena brand comes with (right or wrongly, I'll leave that in the middle) in the mind of the public at large, so I genuinely think it would not be a good idea to rebrand brussels airlines to something like Sabena.
In fact, in an aviation landscape which is going in the direction of multi-branded airline groups, I doubt they will rebrand at all, at least not entirely: using different brands allows a company to better connect with different customer profiles and markets than through 1 blanket brand and the corresponding product. ;)

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lumumba
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by lumumba »

It's true that Brussels Airlines has a good reputation outside Belgium sometimes this was not the case anymore with SABENA.
Hasta la victoria siempre.

Pocahontas
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Pocahontas »

Sabena is dead boys and girls, may it rest in peace!!!

Bralo20
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Bralo20 »

Pocahontas wrote:Sabena is dead boys and girls, may it rest in peace!!!
Not exactly, in 2014 a new "Sabena" company was founded with Sabena Aerospace... They even use the Sabena font and colors, the only thing missing is the iconic S... :mrgreen:

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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by sn-remember »

First let them buy the remainig SN shares. Then they'll do what they want. IMHO Eurowings looks fine on s:hauls but on AFI a business+ class offering is appreciated. As is the "Belgium" brand but I suppose it could equally well dilute inside the Eurowings titles. Anyways if it means additional investment, profit and overall market share, why not ?

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Treeper
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Treeper »

Would it be possible that 2 different products are sold on the same flight?
I mean that you have a Eurowings part, the back of the plane, for the now "Check & Go" and "Light & Relax" part. On the other hand you have the SN(/OS/LH/...) part, being the "Flex & Fast" and "Bizz & Class" in the front.

A bit like you have Neckermann/Thomas Cook/Pegase offering accomodation in the same hotel, but with 3 different kinds of rooms (resp. normal/discount, normal/superior and luxury).

Or would that be too complicated accounting wise?

Maybe this:
-(European) SH: Eurowings (operated by Brussels Airlines)
-(World) LH: Brussels Airlines

About the Sabena thing: I'm about 30, and what I remember is a company that was chronically sick of the stranglement of cabin crew and pilots, not to start on the corrupt management as well as the brilliant politicians with all their wonderful solutions of pumping billions of tax money in a bottomless pit of a company that never made a (decent) profit over almost 80years.
But yes, they did have a great livery though and a retrojet (perhaps with the 70's livery) would be just... :D (incl. drooling ;))

convair
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by convair »

Treeper wrote:Would it be possible that 2 different products are sold on the same flight?
I mean that you have a Eurowings part, the back of the plane, for the now "Check & Go" and "Light & Relax" part. On the other hand you have the SN(/OS/LH/...) part, being the "Flex & Fast" and "Bizz & Class" in the front.

A bit like you have Neckermann/Thomas Cook/Pegase offering accomodation in the same hotel, but with 3 different kinds of rooms (resp. normal/discount, normal/superior and luxury).

Or would that be too complicated accounting wise?

Maybe this:
-(European) SH: Eurowings (operated by Brussels Airlines)
-(World) LH: Brussels Airlines

About the Sabena thing: I'm about 30, and what I remember is a company that was chronically sick of the stranglement of cabin crew and pilots, not to start on the corrupt management as well as the brilliant politicians with all their wonderful solutions of pumping billions of tax money in a bottomless pit of a company that never made a (decent) profit over almost 80years.
But yes, they did have a great livery though and a retrojet (perhaps with the 70's livery) would be just... :D (incl. drooling ;))
Why not indeed? And it wouldn't be complicated accounting with today's tools. It would just be like accounting for the code-shares pax, wouldn't it.

BTW, I think Eurowings code is EW, not (yet) SH. ;)

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MD-11forever
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by MD-11forever »

convair wrote: BTW, I think Eurowings code is EW, not (yet) SH. ;)
I think Treeper means short haul (SH) and long haul (LH), not the airline code ;)

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Treeper
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Re: Interview of CEO Gustin: Brussels Airlines renamed Eurowings? ...and other topics

Post by Treeper »

MD-11forever wrote:
convair wrote: BTW, I think Eurowings code is EW, not (yet) SH. ;)
I think Treeper means short haul (SH) and long haul (LH), not the airline code ;)
yup, that's the case

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