American 767 From Belgium, joined May 1999, 2179 posts, RR: 10 Posted (4 years 8 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 262 times:
Yes, that's bad news, especially for Sobelair. I heard that this morning on Bruxelles Capitale, a local radio station in Brussels. Both Belgian airlines coming from defunct Sabena were talking about a merger, but under three conditions:
1. The lease rates on aircrafts would be lowered
2. No more social conflicts
3. No more nonstop flight BRU-JNB (I guess that's where Sobelair lost a whole lot of money)
They can't agree with each other about making concessions, social conflict all about employees' salaries, I think that's why they gave up plans to pursue the merger. Sobelair's chance of survival is none, unless it finds a partner. I imagine SN Brussels Airlines will continue to "live" by itself, now that neither Sobelair nor Virgin Express are going to "marry" SNBA.
It sounds like the future of Belgian aviation is dark but there are still four Belgian airlines, three of them based in BRU, likely to remain alive: SNBA, Virgin Express, Thomas Cook, and Antwerp based VLM, without counting Charleroi based Ryannair.
Ben Soriano
Brussels Belgium
"Aimer jusqu'� l'impossible, c'est possible". Tina Arena.
SNBA319 From Netherlands, joined Oct 2003, 298 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (4 years 8 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 238 times:
Ben,
do you happen to know how Sobelair got out from the Sabena bankruptcy exactly? What was the setup/plan for their survival?
I have heard nothing yet about this, but I had expected something like this to happen. SNBA is still busy establishing itself as the full-service carrier of Belgium, competing against two well-established other airlines at BRU. I also believe both airlines differ from each other internally, and the risk at this point in time would be too great for SNBA.
Finally I don't understand why you would regard the future of Belgian aviation as 'dark'? There are a number of airlines offering different products and still doing well. There's still a bright future ahead!
Joleb From Belgium, joined Oct 2003, 290 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (4 years 8 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 224 times:
SNBA has a nice future in front of itself (they will keep up the good work!!!)
now owned by the top belgo companies
Sobelair seems to have lost a ton of money on the JNB route,has internal problems and their contracts from DSF on their 767-300's are too high
so i really dont know what will happen with sobelair
Sabena 690 From Belgium, joined Feb 2002, 6332 posts, RR: 46 Reply 3, posted (4 years 8 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 215 times:
Totally in the line of expectations...
Now that TUI is starting their own airline in BRU (and be serious, only 2 planes? sounds a bit too small to run a profitable operation), it is logic that SN and SLR will not work together.
Can anybody comment if a charter airline can be ran profitable with only 2 planes? With all those spare planes that the TUI Group has (for example B737's at Hapag Lloyd etc), it wouldn't surprise me if they expand just before the busy summerseason (July).
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From Belgium, joined May 1999, 2179 posts, 
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