slz396 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 9670 times:
Quoting AirbusA6 (Reply 2): is this going to be their long haul speciality within the Lufthansa group?
I'd say that's a fair assessment indeed.
SN will soon serve no less than 18 central African destinations, so it's a safe bet indeed LH wants to position SN as the African specialist of their group of airlines and thus compete with AF on this front.
UK_Dispatcher From United Arab Emirates, joined Dec 2001, 2550 posts, RR: 33 Reply 6, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 9244 times:
thegreatRDU From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2273 posts, RR: 3 Reply 7, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 9206 times:
For this to happen more birds definitely have to be coming around...from where?
AirbusA6 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 1906 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 8872 times:
Quoting slz396 (Reply 3): Quoting AirbusA6 (Reply 2):
is this going to be their long haul speciality within the Lufthansa group?
I'd say that's a fair assessment indeed.
SN will soon serve no less than 18 central African destinations, so it's a safe bet indeed LH wants to position SN as the African specialist of their group of airlines and thus compete with AF on this front.
As the old Sabena was notoriously loss making, hopefully they've learnt a few lessons from the past...
Considering the unhappy aftermath of Belgium's colonies in Africa, it is perhaps surprising that a Belgian airline should be used by LH to expand in Africa...
it's the bus to stansted (now renamed national express a4 to ruin my username)
slz396 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 8603 times:
Quoting AirbusA6 (Reply 10): As the old Sabena was notoriously loss making, hopefully they've learnt a few lessons from the past...
Actually, Sabena has always been making money on its African operations, but managed to burn it all (and more) on other routes, notably those accross the Atlantic. SN currently only has long haul routes to Africa, and has been profitable for the past 7 years, so I'd say they have been quite successful at re-estabishing themselves.
Quoting AirbusA6 (Reply 10): Considering the unhappy aftermath of Belgium's colonies in Africa, it is perhaps surprising that a Belgian airline should be used by LH to expand in Africa...
It's not surprising at all, LH lacks the knowledge and the local connections to go as deep into Central (French speeking) Africa as SN does.
hardiwv From Brazil, joined Oct 2004, 8780 posts, RR: 52 Reply 13, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 8325 times:
Quoting slz396 (Reply 12): It's not surprising at all, LH lacks the knowledge and the local connections to go as deep into Central (French speeking) Africa as SN does
Perfect. SN has the local knowledge, language skills and cultural connection to become the main airline linking LH to West/Central Africa.
I see a huge potential for SN in this market which is otherwise dominated by AF.
VinnieWinnie From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 727 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 8297 times:
Quoting SN-MD11 (Reply 11): True. They have the very first models of A330 manufactured in 1993. And I hear they have the oldest fleet of all the Star Alliance members.
Well maintained, I reckon that these planes actually become very good workhorses, and can be insured way cheaper than brand new A330's.
Don't forget that African Airports except for a few are still very rough in every sense of the way!
Am I true in saying that SN flies older models for insurance purposes?
surfandsnow From United States of America, joined Jan 2009, 2588 posts, RR: 31 Reply 15, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 7997 times:
Accra is a very important African city, I'm surprised a leading airline to the continent doesn't fly there already! On the other hand, AF is currently the only European carrier to serve Ouagadougou, Cotonou, and Lome. Hopefully the entry of SN will lead to significantly lower fares to these countries, prompting more tourism, business trips, etc. to and from them.
Flying in the middle seat of coach is much better than not flying at all!
NicoEDDF From Germany, joined Jan 2008, 1051 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 7951 times:
Quoting VinnieWinnie (Reply 14): Am I true in saying that SN flies older models for insurance purposes?
Not for insurance purposes as sole attributal factor.
But surely the fact they must be dirt cheap in ownership and/or lease combined with more than enough capability for the relatively short African longhaul destinations makes them in no need for replacement.
Congrats SN & LH, I see SN as one of the best additions to the LH network and company possible.
commavia From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 10188 posts, RR: 63 Reply 17, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 6777 times:
Very smart move on Brussels'/Lufthansa's part.
Brussels is a fairly good place to connect in my experience, and when it comes to (former-)French (Francophone) Africa, it's the only European hub that has a reasonable shot at competing against the obvious heavy-hitter of CDG.
Norcal773 From United States of America, joined Feb 2007, 1277 posts, RR: 13 Reply 18, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 6106 times:
I am flying SN for the first time ever this Wednesday BRU-NBO on an award ticket (continuation of a trip from SFO) and I am hoping for an upgrade to J on this route, any help from anyone at SN? Hehe. I am excited about flying a new airline for sure per I've flown at least 25 different airlines
BlueFlyer From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 3119 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 5399 times:
Quoting slz396 (Reply 12): SN currently only has long haul routes to Africa, and has been profitable for the past 7 years, so I'd say they have been quite successful at re-estabishing themselves.
Not surprisingly, SN will show a loss for 2009. More worrying, the load factor was a mere 63%.
AirGabon From Switzerland, joined Dec 2003, 852 posts, RR: 3 Reply 21, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 4995 times:
Any chance of SN returning to Libreville, Gabon? I know LH flies the route 5 weekly via Accra, in competition with AF 4 weekly B773ER, but Sabena and Swissair were very popular in Gabon...
varig md-11 From France, joined Jul 2000, 1572 posts, RR: 9 Reply 22, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 4703 times:
Very good news for a closed market like COO.
I took Sabena from ORY connecting at BRU in 2000 and it was 300€ cheaper than the AF monopoly, hope it will lower the prices again with the re-launch.
Even at ticket price around 500€ for west Africa, these flights are something like 6 hours from BRU so it should generate cash (count 800 to 1000€ on AF!!!!!)
Quoting AirGabon (Reply 21): Any chance of SN returning to Libreville, Gabon? I know LH flies the route 5 weekly via Accra, in competition with AF 4 weekly B773ER, but Sabena and Swissair were very popular in Gabon...
Gabon starts to be a bit crowded: LH AF and don't forget Bongo's Gabon Airlines...COO and LFW don't have a national airline to Europe
AF TW AA NW BA U2 TP UX LH SK AZ MP KL SN VY HV LS SS TK SQ RG
Bralo20 From Belgium, joined May 2008, 585 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 4543 times:
Quoting Norcal773 (Reply 18): I am flying SN for the first time ever this Wednesday BRU-NBO on an award ticket (continuation of a trip from SFO) and I am hoping for an upgrade to J on this route, any help from anyone at SN? Hehe. I am excited about flying a new airline for sure per I've flown at least 25 different airlines
Hope that you are going to make a trip report (with pics) about it? Didn't find any tripreport about SN's long haul on this site
Bralo20 From Belgium, joined May 2008, 585 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 4519 times:
In addition to the new Africa flights, SN also confirmed that their new subsidiary "KORONGO" will start operations after this summer with a first flight between Lubumbashi and Kinshasa. The new airline will be owned by SN Air Holding (50%) and the Belgian group George Forrest International (50%). The operational base will be in Lubumbahsi.
The new airline will offer an alternative to the mostly blacklisted and unsafe airlines in Africa.
25 1stfl94: Not with their current longhaul fleet. Their A330s would have to make a stopover somewhere and Europe-JNB is already served by three of their allianc
26 Norcal773: I just might whip my D90 and start clicking away in preparation for a TR. I am in the SN lounge in their T terminal and I am impressed by the lounge
27 slz396: That lounge got elected as one of the 50 best lounges in the world according to business traveller magazine, so no wonder you like it. http://bspirit
28 Norcal773: I can see how, it was a very nice lounge and I am looking forward to spending 6 hours in it later this week on my return.
29 BRJ: So have the schedules been published for the ACC triangular flights?
31 Norcal773: So SN canceled my NBO-BRU flight yesterday and I wasn't too happy because I needed to be back in SFO by Saturday and had given myself a day in case th
32 American 767: If SN ever returns to JNB, which I doubt because as stated LH already flies FRA-JNB nonstop, the aircraft which is an A333 would have to stop in eithe
33 MaverickM11: Is that still flying? They've cycled through about 3 carriers in two years it seems. Yikes
34 BRJ: I'm kind of surprised they launched these destinations over Lagos. I know LH flies FRA-LOS daily, but they also fly FRA-ACC as well. Sabena used to fl
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