Air Belgium in 2018

[sn26567]

Air Belgium seeks partnerships and commercial arrangements to operate its planned short-haul routes, and the carrier may wet lease narrowbodies for the routes as well. Air Belgium will initially focus on Asia, followed by the acquisition of A330-900neo or A350 pending current talks with Airbus. Phase three ending 2028 consists of routes to North and South America.

[Bralo20]

Air Belgium will initially focus on Asia, followed by the acquisition of A330-900neo or A350 pending current talks with Airbus. Phase three ending 2028 consists of routes to North and South America.

They must have very very very very deep pockets... No AOC yet, not a single commercial flight, not a single seat sold, no commercials, not much movement at all and yet they are talking about acquiring brand new planes? And talking about 10 years from now?

Like said, either their shareholders have tremendous deep pockets or someone has been smoking something very strong

[sn-remember]

Let's summarize :
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/econ ... arrier-air
I am not sure the A340-300 is the gaz guzzler they say ..
As being mentioned, without feeding flights they might have trouble filling their plane.
Also they don't mention the possible infrastructure issue at crl (insufficient runway length, constrained terminal facilities to accomodate big numbers, suboptimal traveller access by road or train)

[Acid-drop]

Also they don't mention the possible infrastructure issue at crl (insufficient runway length, constrained terminal facilities to accomodate big numbers, suboptimal traveller access by road or train)

No need for a fancy terminal for one plane at a time.
Suboptimal access ? At least there is no 45min extra delay for the last 5km. Avoiding the mess, the stress, the security queues, the awful handling of snow , that's pretty clever.

[Passenger]

Suboptimal access ? At least there is no 45min extra delay for the last 5km.

Passengers coming by car from the north of Brussels also face that 45 minutes extra delay. They just have it during an earlier part of their journey. And passengers from the north don't have a convenient public transport access to CRL (contrary to a direct train to Brussels Airport).

Avoiding the mess, the stress, the security queues, the awful handling of snow, that's pretty clever.

We'll see what the minimum check-in time will be that Air Belgium will apply.
And we'll see what will happen when winter rules in the south.

[Passenger]

Schedule from direct competition:

outgoing from BRU or from AMS:
BRU-HKG CX-338 : dep BRU 13h10 (arr 07h05) (summer schedule)
AMS-HKG CX-270 : dep AMS 12u45 (winter)
AMS-HKG KL-0887 : dep AMS 17u40 (winter)

incoming to BRU or to AMS:
HKB-BRU CX-339 : arr BRU 06h55 (dep 00h35) (summer schedule)
HKG-AMS CX-271 : arr AMS 06h15 (winter)
HKG-AMS KL-0888 : arr AMS 18h55 (winter)

[sn26567]

Schedule from direct competition:

You could also add CDG, easier to reach than AMS by direct HST from Brussels.

[jan_olieslagers]

¿ Is a train from Brussels to Paris Airport easier than a train from Brussels to Amsterdam Airport? OK, the TGV/Thalys may be faster, but easier? And the train to AMS will become a bit faster - well, a bit less slow - when it begins to use the high speed line, in a couple of weeks.

[Passenger]

Schedule from direct competition:

You could also add CDG, easier to reach than AMS by direct HST from Brussels.

Actually, the KLM and CX schedules proof that there won't be a problem for AB, regarding the night curfew at CRL.

And depending on the slots they can get at HKG, a departure early afternoon will make it possible to avoid traffic problems. Though most people don't keep that in mind, when booking.

[Boavida]

Just for fun, I found these renders of different types of aircraft in Air Belgium colors. Let's dream

B787


A350



A321NEO



And oh why not a 747



Source: https://community.infinite-flight.com/t ... 26683/4514

About the corporate identity (from a graphic design point of view): I hope they ditch the crown element in the logo, it makes it too complex. The AB is enough. The 'simpler' a logo, the better. I also would go for a different font type. For example the 'air canada' titles are more stylish.

About the company: I really hope they'll become a succes. Certainly if SN will evaporate into EW, maybe Air Belgium can become the new flag carrier (and also fly from BRU), with help from the Belgian business world. They all revolted after the news SN would disappear, well now, let's show some action and invest in Air Belgium.

[Shonix]

About the company: I really hope they'll become a succes. Certainly if SN will evaporate into EW, maybe Air Belgium can become the new flag carrier (and also fly from BRU), with help from the Belgian business world. They all revolted after the news SN would disappear, well now, let's show some action and invest in Air Belgium.

We all hope so. However, let's never underestimate the politics in Belgium. Never... Air Belgium is flagged as a "Walloon project" which doesn't makes things easier when the country is mostly ruled by the "Flemish" at the Federal level.

I don't want to start a debate about Walloons vs Flemish but unfortunately, this parameter has to be taken into account.

[nordikcam]

¿ Is a train from Brussels to Paris Airport easier than a train from Brussels to Amsterdam Airport?

Yess, for sure ! I never fly Long haul from BRU( SN does not fly where I have to go : West Coast Canada and USA and Carribbean places or South East of Asia ). So, I take this train 2 times a week more or less. Just back from LAX today where someone asked me if there was an airport in Brussels !!!!!!!!!!!!!
But at ZYR you have a luggage service offered by AF from BRU that KL not offers for AMS...TGV is faster for true and Terminal 2E gates K,L and M very well organised @ CDG I guess.
With what it's happening to SN by LH and the possible tranfsert of long haul flights to DUS, FRA or MUC I guess I'll forget BRU definitely ! Sad !

[Boavida]

About the company: I really hope they'll become a succes. Certainly if SN will evaporate into EW, maybe Air Belgium can become the new flag carrier (and also fly from BRU), with help from the Belgian business world. They all revolted after the news SN would disappear, well now, let's show some action and invest in Air Belgium.

We all hope so. However, let's never underestimate the politics in Belgium. Never... Air Belgium is flagged as a "Walloon project" which doesn't makes things easier when the country is mostly ruled by the "Flemish" at the Federal level.

I don't want to start a debate about Walloons vs Flemish but unfortunately, this parameter has to be taken into account.

Well, they could have made it a real 'Belgian' project by choosing BRU (the NATIONAL airport) as hub. But sadly, sadly they chose CRL. This reinforces the 'Walloon' perception of the project.

I hope I'm wrong but I think this was a BIG mistake.

[convair]

About the company: I really hope they'll become a succes. Certainly if SN will evaporate into EW, maybe Air Belgium can become the new flag carrier (and also fly from BRU), with help from the Belgian business world. They all revolted after the news SN would disappear, well now, let's show some action and invest in Air Belgium.

We all hope so. However, let's never underestimate the politics in Belgium. Never... Air Belgium is flagged as a "Walloon project" which doesn't makes things easier when the country is mostly ruled by the "Flemish" at the Federal level.

I don't want to start a debate about Walloons vs Flemish but unfortunately, this parameter has to be taken into account.

Well, they could have made it a real 'Belgian' project by choosing BRU (the NATIONAL airport) as hub. But sadly, sadly they chose CRL. This reinforces the 'Walloon' perception of the project.

I hope I'm wrong but I think this was a BIG mistake.

If (biiiig IF) they start operating one day , I wouldn't be surprised to see them move to BRU in a year or 2.

[quixoticguide]

We all hope so. However, let's never underestimate the politics in Belgium. Never... Air Belgium is flagged as a "Walloon project" which doesn't makes things easier when the country is mostly ruled by the "Flemish" at the Federal level.

I don't want to start a debate about Walloons vs Flemish but unfortunately, this parameter has to be taken into account.

Well, they could have made it a real 'Belgian' project by choosing BRU (the NATIONAL airport) as hub. But sadly, sadly they chose CRL. This reinforces the 'Walloon' perception of the project.

I hope I'm wrong but I think this was a BIG mistake.

If (biiiig IF) they start operating one day , I wouldn't be surprised to see them move to BRU in a year or 2.

Move to BRU and go back to CRL when the runway is long enough.

[quixoticguide]

Or maybe they can sell Air Belgium to QR like Air Italy :p

[Passenger]

Belgium's State Gazette (Belgisch Staatsblad - Moniteur belge) 09th March 2018:

http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/tsv_pd ... 043415.pdf

[DeltaWiskey]

We all hope so. However, let's never underestimate the politics in Belgium. Never... Air Belgium is flagged as a "Walloon project" which doesn't makes things easier when the country is mostly ruled by the "Flemish" at the Federal level.

I don't want to start a debate about Walloons vs Flemish but unfortunately, this parameter has to be taken into account.

That is just a ridiculous statement. I guess you have never dealt with our Aviation Authorities yourself, they are just as "hard" for everyone, be it Flemish, Walloon,... They don't have a preference for one part of the country, quite some of them don't even speak Dutch, which is ok by me, as long as they do their job in a decent manner.

If VLM is not getting their AOC in a reasonable timeframe, everyone on this forum blames politics and Walloon politicians influencing of the BCAA for not letting this "Flemish" project taking off. If it's Air Belgium not getting its AOC in a reasonable time, it's exactly the opposite. (Apparently it has never crossed anyone's mind that both of them might have submitted a file that was subpar? The BCAA are not a bunch of aviation enthousiast that want to see every project succeed, they have to check that companies operate in accordance with all applicable legislation)

If you say you don't want to start a debate Flanders vs Wallonia, then just don't do it. Is it really that hard?!

[Passenger]

Belgium's State Gazette (Belgisch Staatsblad - Moniteur belge) 09th March 2018:
http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/tsv_pd ... 043415.pdf

With the SIRW now investing in Air Belgium via Sparaxis, it's almost impossible for AB to move operations to BRU. But at the same time, AB will profit from business lounges at CRL at a minimum cost. And a free runway extension of course.
http://www.actionnariatwallon.be/organi ... axis-19172

And for those who don't know who the new administrator Mikko Rautio is: google him with "Finnair China"...

[sn26567]

With the SIRW now investing in Air Belgium via Sparaxis, it's almost impossible for AB to move operations to BRU.

Why not? SRIW also invested in SN Brussels Airlines (or rather in SN Airholding), operating exclusively out of BRU in Belgium.