Air Belgium in 2018
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
And who are you to contact airline people about their strategy or their business...may I ask?
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Another anti postPassenger wrote: ↑14 Aug 2018, 15:25When you have 257 seats, about 50 pax is 20% and about 100 pax is 40%. Together with the few previous reports, their load factor cannot be near 52%-60% / 75%-80%. Unless for a few flights with high load of Chinese tourists. But even then: with those Chinese tour groups, revenu is rather low. And it's far too soon to see their presence on Amadeus realizing in bookings.kly wrote: ↑14 Aug 2018, 08:23 The loading factors are pretty good compared to July when I first took AB to HKG. When i departed there were only 50 pax or less whilst when I returned there were more than 100.
According to Standaard. The loading factors have gone up from 52-60% (july) to 75-80%(august). So I thing they are getting to it not to mention they added 1 more flight to HKG.
Actually, I predicted "good load factors..." when someone asked if their basic rate (449) went up to 499:
Good Friends of mine are crew at AB. Loads are indeed up to around 70% on recent flights
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
I'm the main admin of Facebook group Air Belgium Fans (KF/ABB)...Desert Rat wrote: ↑14 Aug 2018, 15:59 And who are you to contact airline people about their strategy or their business...may I ask?
Hi. I'm Thibault Lapers. @ThibaultLapers & @TLspotting
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
As I understand it, the route to Tokyo (and to Cebu, Philippines) will be through a connecting flight in Hong Kong. Will that connecting flight be operated by Hong Kong Airlines? It seems that Air Belgium has good relations with that airline, whose lounges it uses in HKG.
Air Belgium also badly needs feeder flights at the Belgian end, and there it seems that nothing is in the pipeline yet...
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Indeed, I think Bart made an error in its article, HKG is a codeshare hub.sn26567 wrote: ↑14 Aug 2018, 17:18As I understand it, the route to Tokyo (and to Cebu, Philippines) will be through a connecting flight in Hong Kong. Will that connecting flight be operated by Hong Kong Airlines? It seems that Air Belgium has good relations with that airline, whose lounges it uses in HKG.
Air Belgium also badly needs feeder flights at the Belgian end, and there it seems that nothing is in the pipeline yet...
"Niky Terzakis proposera de nouvelles destinations via le hub de Hong Kong", that's what Le Soir wrote.
Hi. I'm Thibault Lapers. @ThibaultLapers & @TLspotting
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Bart did not make an error; he said that Air Belgium would like to fly to Tokyo and Cebu, but did not specify whether it would be direct or via a hub in HKG.TLspotting wrote: ↑14 Aug 2018, 18:36 Indeed, I think Bart made an error in its article, HKG is a codeshare hub.
"Niky Terzakis proposera de nouvelles destinations via le hub de Hong Kong", that's what Le Soir wrote.
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
I don’t share the optimism here. I think one has to be realist when it’s about filling planes.
And when you conclude that the reason most probably is "BRU versus CRL", than you have to adapt your business plan. Example: 2 flights BRU-HKG, 1 flight CRL-HKG.
We’re mid August now, and they want to start a new long haul route end of September??? Are they really gonna make the same error again as they did with Hong Kong (off topic: error VLM/SHS Aviation has done with their new routes too)? You have to obey the basic market rules. Specially for long haul, you have to leave enough time between announcement and first flight. I don’t know the Chinese market – and maybe it’s 6 weeks indeed. But I estimate it’s rather 6 months.Terzakis in Le Vif: “...Nous allons démarrer une nouvelle route en Chine fin septembre. Il s'agit de Zhengzhou… Une deuxième destination est prévue en octobre: Wuhan. Puis Taiyuan en novembre".
Why does this overcapacity applies to Air Belgium only, and not to Cathay? They haven’t opened BRU just for fun: they expect to make profit here, and it seems they can do it with 7 flights per week.De Standaard, referring to Terzakis in Le Soir: “Air Belgium was van plan de frequentie naar Hongkong te verhogen naar vier keer per week, maar dat plan gaat niet door. ‘Er is te veel capaciteit in vergelijking met de vraag’, zegt Terzakis in Le Soir…”
And when you conclude that the reason most probably is "BRU versus CRL", than you have to adapt your business plan. Example: 2 flights BRU-HKG, 1 flight CRL-HKG.
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
I understand your point of vieuw, but that is for "european airlines" which aim to carry mostly european passengers. In the AB's case, their goal is to carry chineese tourists to Europe. To achieve this, they only need UTOUR to fill their planes, which can be done within few weeks.Passenger wrote: ↑14 Aug 2018, 22:37 I don’t share the optimism here. I think one has to be realist when it’s about filling planes.
We’re mid August now, and they want to start a new long haul route end of September??? Are they really gonna make the same error again as they did with Hong Kong (off topic: error VLM/SHS Aviation has done with their new routes too)? You have to obey the basic market rules. Specially for long haul, you have to leave enough time between announcement and first flight. I don’t know the Chinese market – and maybe it’s 6 weeks indeed. But I estimate it’s rather 6 months.Terzakis in Le Vif: “...Nous allons démarrer une nouvelle route en Chine fin septembre. Il s'agit de Zhengzhou… Une deuxième destination est prévue en octobre: Wuhan. Puis Taiyuan en novembre".
And about the businessman, he doesn't need to book his flight months in advance.
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
I also have the impression this is their main market; Packages for Chineses tourists. And once in Europe, they spend lots of €€€€, be it in Belgium or France or wherever.
Those charter flights to LGG also just stopped when the Russian company went bankrupt. Now with AB, these seem to have moved to CRL.
Regardless, if AB can make money of it, why not? A few flights a week to some large but for us unknown places with a large public who want to have a trip to EU.
It's also why I think increasing HKG doesn't make sense for them; very different public.
Cathay's BRU-HKG serves a very different public/market too
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Brand new OO-ABD going to be delivered this evening at Ostend. More info soon
Hi. I'm Thibault Lapers. @ThibaultLapers & @TLspotting
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Ostend? What's the idea?TLspotting wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 14:31 Brand new OO-ABD going to be delivered this evening at Ostend. More info soon
(and the plane is brand new only for Air Belgium. It is actually 10 years old, but I'm sure you know that )
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Probably cheaper than BRU, who knows.sn26567 wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 19:01Ostend? What's the idea?TLspotting wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 14:31 Brand new OO-ABD going to be delivered this evening at Ostend. More info soon
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
We'll know very soon if it's OST or CRL: OO-ABD is airborne:sn26567 wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 19:01Ostend? What's the idea?TLspotting wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 14:31 Brand new OO-ABD going to be delivered this evening at Ostend. More info soon
https://www.flightradar24.com/ABB921P/1d82e78c
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Not enough space at CRL, already occupied by ABA and ABB, and yes I know itsn26567 wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 19:01Ostend? What's the idea?TLspotting wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 14:31 Brand new OO-ABD going to be delivered this evening at Ostend. More info soon
(and the plane is brand new only for Air Belgium. It is actually 10 years old, but I'm sure you know that )
Had the captain (I think) in touch, it is well for OST, eta 20:20L.Passenger wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 19:06We'll know very soon if it's OST or CRL: OO-ABD is airborne:sn26567 wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 19:01Ostend? What's the idea?TLspotting wrote: ↑15 Aug 2018, 14:31 Brand new OO-ABD going to be delivered this evening at Ostend. More info soon
https://www.flightradar24.com/ABB921P/1d82e78c
And I also noticed font type change on AIR BELGIUM title.
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Hi. I'm Thibault Lapers. @ThibaultLapers & @TLspotting
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
CRL : Runway too short and not enough space...so aircraft goes to OST. Could it be arrive with passengers ? Yes...sarcasm !
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
The painted livery looks much brighter and shinier than the stickered one. Way to go!
André
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
How long will it stay at Ostend ?
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Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Cebu as a destination may not be a bad idea at all. You'd be amazed at how many Filipino nationals there are in Belgium.
Re: Air Belgium in 2018
Cebu as a destination may not be a bad idea at all. You'd be amazed at how many Filipino nationals there are in Belgium.
Yes, but they fly with Thai Airways with special conditions.
Yes, but they fly with Thai Airways with special conditions.