Air Belgium in 2019

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Boeing767copilot
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Boeing767copilot »

Is it already certain that AB will resume flights to HKG end of the month?

Matt
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Matt »

Just landed in warsaw, oo-abd is here! :D

What's it doing here?

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YYZ727
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by YYZ727 »

luchtzak wrote: 28 Feb 2019, 07:23 Air Belgium will operate for LOT Polish Airlines. The initial schedule for two weeks, however, is wrong: a Facebook user told Aviation24.be that the airline already fixed a contract for two months, with a possible extension.

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/lot- ... arch-2019/

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luchtzak
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by luchtzak »

Air Belgium will not resume its Hong Kong service, previously announced to start on 31 March.

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/air- ... ent-plans/

Passenger
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Joined: 06 Dec 2010, 20:54

Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Passenger »

luchtzak wrote: 14 Mar 2019, 15:38 Air Belgium will not resume its Hong Kong service, previously announced to start on 31 March.
...
Air Belgium apologizes to its passengers currently holding a reservation. The company is contacting its customers concerned and is immediately initiating the full refund process.
...
https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/air- ... ent-plans/
No surprise at all.

Nice to read "we're initiating the full refund process". But actually it should be "we offer passengers the choice between a rerouting or a full refund".

MHG
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by MHG »

"Who would have guessed that outcome" :roll:

By - once again - cancelling their flights to HKG they have lost that tiny little bit of credibility that was left.

Even if they'd eventually make another attempt I would not consider booking them. Period.

When Mrs MHG and I fly to Asia we always go via HKG and at one point I had considered them since it was a non-stop.
But given the proven non-reliability they are now out of consideration for us.

Boavida
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Boavida »

The amateurism is staggering. To fly intercontinental from Charleroi. Failed idea from the start.

nordikcam
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by nordikcam »

Boavida wrote: 14 Mar 2019, 22:14 The amateurism is staggering. To fly intercontinental from Charleroi. Failed idea from the start.
Hope they will fly from BRU to US or South America ...one day !

Passenger
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Passenger »

"...Air Belgium nous prends pour des cons, mais quand cela va-t-il s’arrêter?..."

Waterloo-based travelnews website Pagtour.info doens't believe in them anymore:
http://pagtour.info/mais-quand-cela-va-t-il-sarreter/

Stij
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Stij »

Maybe stick to what you're good at: wet lease and forget about the rest for a couple of years...

Cheers,

Stij

Acid-drop
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Acid-drop »

Maybe that was the plan from start.
They just needed a subsidies magnet...
My messages reflect my personal opinion which may be different than yours. I beleive a forum is made to create a debate so I encourage people to express themselves, the way they want, with the ideas they want. I expect the same understanding in return.

Shonix
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Shonix »

Should we really be surprised?

AB proved once again, it’s lack of credibility when looking at their initial plans vs reality.

They still stay airborne with ACMI flights. Well ok, fine. Good for them. Then stick to it, review your ambitions and stop announcing business developments that won’t happen.

We all know a majority of Belgians (including myself) tend to criticize what doesn’t work or fails. It’s about our mentality. However, after such announcement, AB seems to have gone too far. In terms of image, you can qualify it as pure amateurism, no matter if your’re a aviation expert with a strong business management background or not.
Last edited by Shonix on 15 Mar 2019, 08:41, edited 1 time in total.

Acid-drop
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Acid-drop »

Well, charleroi-new york could certainly work. Make it continue to tel aviv and your booking system will overheat.
My messages reflect my personal opinion which may be different than yours. I beleive a forum is made to create a debate so I encourage people to express themselves, the way they want, with the ideas they want. I expect the same understanding in return.

Shonix
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Shonix »

Acid-drop wrote: 15 Mar 2019, 08:37 Well, charleroi-new york could certainly work. Make it continue to tel aviv and your booking system will overheat.
With SN, DL and UA on the market? No sir.

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luchtzak
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by luchtzak »

Acid-drop wrote: 15 Mar 2019, 08:37 Well, charleroi-new york could certainly work. Make it continue to tel aviv and your booking system will overheat.
And Ryanair on the market now with the launch of their CRL - TLV flights ..

Passenger
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Passenger »

There is no way that Air Belgium will be able to restart own scheduled flights: they now have lost their last piece of confidence from both the public and the travel trade.

Apart from Terzakis, the initial investors are Hong Kong and/or China based: mr Yip, mr Sumchenko, mr Abramov. Will they agree with Air Belgium becoming an ACMI company? Will they invest once again in an airline with a business plan that is totally different from what they had in mind? Or will they now consolidate their loss?

And with Air Belgium changed from a scheduled-airline to an ACMI supplier, they face the night curfew at Charleroi (23h00-06h30) for emergency backups. Quite a disadvantage, when your competitor (Wamos, EuroAtlantic, Hifly...) can send out an aircraft immediately.

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luchtzak
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by luchtzak »

Now that escalated quickly ... please no cursing !!

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2760

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sn26567
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by sn26567 »

The Air Belgium announcement misses one point: why are the Hong Kong flights cancelled before they start? Was there again a Chinese tour operator that failed to keep his promises? Another good reason? A professional like Niky Terzakis would not launch a route without serious guarantees that it will work.

Meanwhile, ACMI operations keep the company alive and even growing. That's the most important now.
André
ex Sabena #26567

Matt
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Matt »

To be completely honest I was always a bit skeptical about the business plan...

I think they had a better chance if they started operating out of BRU. But owh well....

Hindsight is always 20/20 they say...

Shonix
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Re: Air Belgium in 2019

Post by Shonix »

I really wonder how Terzakis is still capable to motivate its troops and to maintain its investors' confidence.

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