sultanils From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1173 posts, RR: 29 Posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 5699 times:
Welcome dear readers,
Nearly every country has it’s own flag carrier. For Belgium, this is true as well. In the past we had Sabena,
Société Anonyme Belge d'Exploitation de la Navigation Aérienne (well it’s just a name…)
… the Belgian airline from 1923 until 2001. After the 9/11 catastrophe, things started building up and Sabena sadly went bankrupt. After its bankruptcy in 2001, the newly-formed SN Brussels Airlines took over part of SABENA's assets in February 2002, which then became Brussels Airlines. SN is a subsidiary of Lufthansa and part of the Star Alliance. It is also the largest airline based in Belgium (now would that be difficult?), operating to over 65 destinations in 20 European countries as well as long-haul flights to East, Central and West Africa.
Having flown Sabena once in it’s good old days I was curious to know how the ‘new’ Sabena’ would be performing. Brussels Airlines established itself on the market in Belgium, it is omnipresent in the street, making lots of publicity.
I have never flown on SN before (Virgin Express, yes…) so I tought the moment was there to change this. Searching their easily navigable website I found a more or less acceptable fare in their ‘b-light’ cabin (= the cheapest travel class) to GVA for a dayreturn (about € 114). GVA is operated up until 6x daily on working days and the competition with EZY on this route must be fierce. The question is: does it perform better than EZY, which I have flown to GVA before? I hope it does..
The day before I checked in online and chose my seats (window last row), the BP was sent to my mobile phone. No more paper waste!
After a half day at the office, it was time to head for the airport. I was closely monitoring the BRU airport website and in the morning already I expected a delay. The inbound flight coming from MAD was delayed for an hour. With then panning of schedules that would mean at least a half an hour delay. Not good…
I arrived at the airport, parked the car on the apron and went inside, direction terminal A and straight through security. No problems here although a ring on my finger most probably set the alarm. Has the beeper become more sensitive? Don’t know, but that’s the first time this happens to me. I was frisk searched and allowed to continue.
The car apron (dump…)
The looong walkway to terminal A under the apron (this about to change)
Boarding at gate A48 was normally due at 15h00 but a small delay of 15 min was announced. Now that’s not too bad. I was half an hour early so I made a walk up to gate A72 at the very end of the terminal to see if I can spot some interesting things.
Portugalia to OPO about to leave
Jetairfly to RHO
What it is all about today: SN
SN’s business lounge at the very end, catering for passengers heading to Africa (T-gates)
BRU’s petrol station, shot through the window at gate A72
Etihad just arrived from AUH at terminal B
The much-too-long A concourse, note the dual signage A65/T65
Another charter to the Turkish sun
Helvetic operating for LX to ZRH on it’s way to 7R for takeoff
Brothers in arms
Yep, this is the one for me, coming in 15 mins late from MAD
About 15 mins after deboarding of the inbound passengers, we were allowed on board. My electronic BP was scanned and I was on my way to my first SN flight.
Shot through the glass finger onto the aircraft, Vueling to VLC
Flight: SN2719
Aircraft: A319
STD-STA: 15h30-16h45
Reg: OO-SSD
Seat: 24A, changed to 18C
Load: about 50% over all classes
Upon entering I was greeted by the female purser with a smile, in Dutch, French and English. Nice to be able to speak my own language for once on board an aircraft. The cabin looks nice and clean, new seats are installed it seems. 3 female F/A’s in total on duty on this flight. But oh horror when I came to my seat: no window! Now I have never had this before: no window on a A319 in the last row on the left side. Needless to say I was not happy… I asked the F/A if I could change seats if there was one available. ‘No problem’, she replied. ‘Just wait until the purser announces “boarding complete” and you can choose any free seat with the red mark on it’. ‘Thanks’ I replied and I patiently waited.
‘Boarding complete’ was announced but alas all window seats were taken. Well, bad luck this time so I tried to make the most out of it.
The seats, the new ultrathin ones as experienced on my last LH flight some weeks ago
Another seat view
I sure will
Cabin after boarding, safety demo playing
View to my left
After a warm welcome from up front , we made our way to 7R for takeoff. Suddenly I noticed an older couple wanted to change seats at the last moment. The F/A asked me if I wanted to change for their aisle seat, more in the middle. ‘Sure’ I said and I took place in 18C. At least now I had some more view, but still no window. I asked the young lady in the window seat (she was reading a book) if she wanted to switch seats but she replied: ‘I like the window’ in broken English. ‘OK, no problem at all’, I replied. I rest my case… (sigh…).
After some minor turbulence on takeoff, the crew sprung into action and started the BOB service. I took a mango smoothie, yummy!
Inflight mag ‘B-there’ on a not-so-interesting page & smoothie
After an hour we were already descending for GVA’s rwy 23.
The only view I had outside…
We arrived at gate 1 and I made my way outside since I had about 1,5h until boarding of the return flight. Let me take you on a discovery tour of GVA:
Bagage claim
EZY checkin zone
General checkin zone
Gate area at A3
All alone under the apron, long walks to do here in GVA
After some wandering around, I went through security and was airside again in minutes. A gate change for BRU was announced meantime: A1 iso A4. That’s fine by me.
On my way to A1
GVA wins hands down: worst spotting airport…
OO-SSD leaving back for BRU
Half an hour before STD of my flight back, the expected Avro RJ85 appeared on the apron. 20 mins later, boarding was called. Some passengers (also me) having scanning issues with electronic BP’s and cause delays in boarding: GVA please fix this! This time I was lucky: window last row indeed had a window, phewww….
Upon entering I was greeted by male purser Wim into the small clean cabin of the RJ85. In total there was 1 male and 1 female F/A on duty. What a small aircraft this RJ85 is, low ceiling as well and when looking out the window, you realize how low to the ground you are in comparison with other aircraft.
View behind: the galley
View to the right, before my seatmate arrived
Old school leather seats, comfy nevertheless
Acceptable legroom
My first look out of the window today, and a dirty window it is!
Everyone settling in
Pushing back revealing the GVA lineup for tonight
A LOT logo bird
Full cabin on this one today
We made our way to rwy 23, the captain performing his welcome speech, annoucing some turbulence due to thunderstorms around and expecting a 1h flight time to BRU. We were second in line for takeoff and lifted gently off into the hazy Geneva skies.
Taxiing to the active
Allright, you can go first
GVA overview
And again
Geneva city in the background
On climbout
Inflight mag explaining the different cabin classes, I was in ‘b-light’ of course
Must be the thunder cells the cpt was telling us about
Service started and the 2 F/A’s had their hands full in providing the catering for this full flight. I once again took a smoothie, albeit another flavour: strawberry this time.
Strawberry smoothie, very good!
For the remainder of the flight I was glued to the window -
Islands of clouds
Some more
Turning right
Once we were over Belgium, more clouds came in, announcing not-too-good weather on the ground: rain…
Clouds coming in, how I love these views!
Again
And again
Soon enough and after some twists and turns, we were on finals for BRU’s rwy 02.
Breaking through the thick cloud layer
Just another highway, the E40
Touchdown in a dreary BRU…
After a short taxi, I was nearly back from where I started from: terminal A
Terminal A back in sight
The competition for this route
And turning into the gate
Our neighbour comes from somewhat further than GVA
Upon exiting I took one more cabin shot and asked permission to visit the flight deck: permission granted! After a short chat I bid the pilots farewell as they had to prepare the paperwork for their next assignment: TLS.
Cabin shot of OO-DJR (note the different coloured seat covers)
The office of OO-DJR
My afternoon GVA hop was at an end. My voyage with SN was a most enjoyable one. Except for the not-windowed window seat I cannot fault SN for anything. Flights were on time, planes were clean, service was good. Pricewise it will be difficult to beat EZY on this route but if you want an assigned seat than SN is your carrier of choice on this route. Even more it offers a 6x daily service whereas EZY only flies 2x daily in winter and only daily in summer. It’s up to you to choose but I’d prefer SN again.
So b-light in fact is a bit of a delight
Thanks for reading and feel free to post you comments, they are greatly appreciated!
RvXKaz From Singapore, joined Apr 2011, 182 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 5621 times:
Hi Nils,
What a nice report from you and I am really glad you've had an enjoyable half-day trip to Switzerland!
Its always nice to try something new and I'm glad you've found SN to your liking.
So sorry to hear that you've got a windowless window seat! I know that awful feeling! Kudos on your effort to find another window seat though. Having been assigned windowless seats on more than one occasion, I'd always resign to my fate and stick to my unlucky seat!
Kudos on scoring a cockpit visit (and photos) on your way back!
Ooh, the smoothies sound really refreshing and yummy, especially mango and strawberry flavours!
Nice preview of BRU Airport once again, its really interesting to see what goes on over there.
A nice trip with lovely photos indeed, thanks so much for sharing!
Keep flying!
RvXKaz
They say that I'm a dreamer. But I'd only Dreamt Skyward.
knightsofmalta From Malta, joined Nov 2005, 1409 posts, RR: 17 Reply 2, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 5613 times:
Hi Sultanils
Nice trip report. I've never tried SN Brussels, but perhaps I should. They look as though they have a solid product. So what did you think of Geneva airport, did you like it?
I had this experience once when I was younger on an AF 747 coming back from MRU, I asked the check-in if I could have a window seat and when I got on the plane, I sure got a window seat, without a window It was a looooong and boring flight....
Oh yes, that's a risk at the last row. At least SK CR9's also have this problem, as well, LH 733's iirc. Secondlast row is better, plus you have recline also.
Their latest E90 which was delivered very recently.
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): Once we were over Belgium, more clouds came in, announcing not-too-good weather on the ground: rain…
Ah, the rain which I got just a few hours later... why didn't you keep it in Belgium?
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): Pricewise it will be difficult to beat EZY on this route but if you want an assigned seat than SN is your carrier of choice on this route.
Plus, SN have lounges, a mileage program, interline agreements for connections, free luggage (also for b.light?).
I flew SN also once, a good experience and the sandwiches they sell on board were really good and big size also!
Regards
Eric
"The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going"
knightsofmalta From Malta, joined Nov 2005, 1409 posts, RR: 17 Reply 6, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 5388 times:
Quoting airbuseric (Reply 5): Oh yes, that's a risk at the last row. At least SK CR9's also have this problem, as well, LH 733's iirc. Secondlast row is better, plus you have recline also.
Yeah, on LH's B.737-500 it's row 5 or 6 that has no window. Or rather it has a window that requires you to make the most fantastic contortions with your body to be able to look out. What I don't understand is that this is apparently a preferred seat they assign to Senators. Aren't Senator's supposed to look out the window?
BRU's 2011-16 development plan will see an extension of its passenger terminal's Pier A, which now is used for flights within the Schengen area and SN's intercontinental flights. Following expansion it will become a fully mixed Schengen/non-Schengen pier, enabling airlines "to concentrate their hub activity largely within the same zone." Also included in the plan is an above-ground link between Pier A and Pier B, dubbed "Connector."
Parton87 From Sweden, joined Sep 2008, 524 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 5190 times:
Hello Nils!
Thanks for a nice story with good pictures I flew with SN in 2007 BMA-BRU-MAN and back then I received a hot meal with cold and hot drinks for free in economy! I also remember that we get some delicious Belgian chocolate with the coffee. On the meal tray there was also recipe on the meal we were served, I still have it somewhere, it was called "a table with a view"
it would be nice to fly SN again sometime, even without the free service
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6183 posts, RR: 79 Reply 9, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 5148 times:
Hi Nils,
nice report with good pictures!
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): But oh horror when I came to my seat: no window! Now I have never had this before: no window on a A319 in the last row on the left side. Needless to say I was not happy…
That's why I never choose the last row - you never know what to find there.
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): The seats, the new ultrathin ones as experienced on my last LH flight some weeks ago
Aha, first OS and LH, then SN. I assume LX will follow the example soon?
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): I asked the young lady in the window seat (she was reading a book) if she wanted to switch seats but she replied: ‘I like the window’ in broken English. ‘OK, no problem at all’, I replied. I rest my case… (sigh…).
I would have replied to the lady, “Then get rid of your book and look outside the window!”
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): you realize how low to the ground you are in comparison with other aircraft.
CaptainRed From Germany, joined Oct 2010, 578 posts, RR: 19 Reply 11, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 4995 times:
Hi Nils,
nice report with some interesting pictures. I have never been on SN, so good to read something about them. A shame you didn't get a window on your first flight, but yeah, that can happen at the last row.
Also great you got a cockpit visit after your flight, always nice. Certainly interesting on the Avro RJ, a small plane like this with 4 thrust levers.
That looks familiar from my weekend trip to GVA in June this year, arriving to GVA from CPH, though not supporting Brussels Airlines, but travelling with easyJet instead...
I feel sorry for you not having a window on the first flight. Nice you got a window on the second flight. And what do I see behind the scratches if not a lovely-looking 717
Bye the way, when/if you travel on the 717, at least on KF, the last row has no window either. So that's a thing to avoid.
FLIEGER67 From Georgia, joined Sep 2003, 4387 posts, RR: 57 Reply 13, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 4908 times:
Hi, Nils,
you´re pretty fast. Very good to follow you´re story, well, how to make most of the day for something more enjoyable.
Also nice pictures from a place I´ve been twice last year.
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter):
The day before I checked in online and chose my seats (window last row),
As usual a good choice, but sometimes difficult with the windows, that´s it.
EL-AL From Israel, joined Oct 2001, 1119 posts, RR: 5 Reply 14, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 4824 times:
Hey Nils,
Nice report! I like both airports very much. I flew with SN when it was still "SN" on RJ100 on the exact same route 8 years ago, unfortunately my last RJ100 flight till now. Those A319s are been operated on the BRU-TLV route, with legroom far from enough on this 4.5 hours flight.
JetBlue777 From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 1427 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 4747 times:
Great trip report! It's always nice to see Intra-European TRs, it's nice to see what flying looks like in Europe! I'll be visiting the good old continent in 2012, so I'm pretty excited to experience these kind of flights.
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): Boarding complete’ was announced but alas all window seats were taken. Well, bad luck this time so I tried to make the most out of it.
My worst nightmare! (Check my signature!)
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): ‘I like the window’ in broken English. ‘OK, no problem at all’, I replied. I rest my case… (sigh…).
I'm fortunate enough that I always travel with my family, so we're always guaranteed that we get a window seat. Then the fighting begins during boarding
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): My first look out of the window today, and a dirty window it is!
Great, I have a 100% record on sitting on window seats. I almost lost the title when I was assigned on an aisle seat (we were traveling on an inter-island flight in the Philippines in a group of 11 people, so check-in was chaotic and I forgot to ask the agent to assign me on a window seat) When I got to my row, I grabbed the window seat...but to my despair, a guy stopped and looked at me and told me that it was his seat. So I got up, argued with my parents that I needed a window seat, argued with my cousins (weirdly enough my baby cousin was assigned in an exit row, but it was later changed) Finally, my grandfather was nice enough to give up his window seat, so my 100% Record lives on.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 9): That's why I never choose the last row - you never know what to find there
Well, I might indeed review my policy...
Quoting akhmad (Reply 10): What an awesome report! Really enjoyable!
Hello Suryo! Thanks very much!
Quoting akhmad (Reply 10): Is it a division of terminal and bus gate?
No, from about 10h00 they close up the last part of the A-gates and transform them into the T-gates with border control. That's where SN's Africa flights will depart from then. Mainly to keep gates free at the B terminal and to ease the transfer Africa-Europe flights (no building change anymore).
Quoting akhmad (Reply 10): I assume LX will follow the example soon?
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 13): Very good to follow you´re story, well, how to make most of the day for something more enjoyable.
Also nice pictures from a place I´ve been twice last year.
Hey, thanks!
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 13): As usual a good choice, but sometimes difficult with the windows, that´s it
Like I mentioned already: I might have to review this policy because no window = no can do...
Quoting EL-AL (Reply 14): Those A319s are been operated on the BRU-TLV route, with legroom far from enough on this 4.5 hours flight.
With the installation of the new ultrathin seats, legroom has definitely improved but I doubt the comfort will be good on a 4,5h flight.
Quoting EL-AL (Reply 14): First time I see that different classes within economy cabin are seated on different part of the airplane
Yes, me too, it's a little bit like for exampe SAS or Blue1 where they put a label divider at the seat to separate classes. I do find it a bit stupid that b-light passengers have to take place in the back section of the plane.
lychemsa From United States of America, joined Oct 2009, 904 posts, RR: 3 Reply 17, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 4516 times:
Wow.
I am impressed by the Smoothie. You can't even buy one on Easyjet.
I wonder if the fares on easyjet are considerably lower than SN and if they offer reasonable one way fares.
FlyingFinn76 From Finland, joined Jun 2009, 1705 posts, RR: 41 Reply 19, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 4405 times:
Hi Nils,
A nice small appetizer about your quick trip to Geneva and back. A good idea to take one day of work a bit easier and spend the afternoon doing a quick pair of flights. I should do this more often, but unfortunately I have pretty much exhausted all the destinations near Helsinki, well apart from Russia where I refuse to go anyway.
I flew SN BRU-VIE-BRU (plus HEL-BRU-HEL on AY, SN was codesharing on those flights back then) in 2005, and really liked it. The flights were on Avros, one -100 and one -85, very nice. Back then it was still a full service carrier, so there were plenty of drinks (not that I needed any after some hours at the BRU lounge...), a sandwich and of course some delicious Belgian chocolates.
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): no window on a A319 in the last row on the left side. Needless to say I was not happy…
Interesting cabin configuration - they seem to have an additional half-row on the left hand side, hence the missing window. Those seats look nice and new, BTW.
sultanils From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1173 posts, RR: 29 Reply 21, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 4150 times:
Hello everyone, thanks for commenting!
Quoting lychemsa (Reply 17): I wonder if the fares on easyjet are considerably lower than SN and if they offer reasonable one way fares.
Fares on EZY are much cheaper than on SN, a return on EZY is possible for as low as € 50, a return on SN costs double. But for that extra amount you have quite some extra services.
infodesk From Switzerland, joined May 2006, 1241 posts, RR: 34 Reply 22, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 4012 times:
Hi Nils,
You were pretty quick getting this one up. Great quality photographs too. Good to hear that SN offer reasonably priced day returns, is this common pratice or just on certain route to compete with the likes of ezy?
Nice that you god the RJ85 on the way back, I love the Avros, especially with the old leather seats!
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): Now I have never had this before: no window on a A319 in the last row on the left
I had it once on Germanwings, last row right. What a disappointment!
Quoting sultanils (Thread starter): more it offers a 6x daily service whereas EZY only flies 2x daily in winter and only daily in summer. It’s up to you to choose but I’d prefer SN again.
Wow, I didn't realise they flew that much, pretty impressive.
Happy flying
Infodesk
"Do nothing in haste, look well to each step and from the beginning think what may be the end" - Edward Whymper
SabenaA320 From Belgium, joined Nov 1999, 113 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (1 year 10 months 1 week 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 4000 times:
Hi Nils,
Very nice trip report! It's easy when there are 6 daily flights to make a quick hop. And very good pictures. It seems GVA has an old and small terminal building.
Rather strange sometimes that people rather fly another carrier then a home-carrier. I think my first SN-flight was 5 years ago and it was not booked with SN. Normally TV, but that flight was severe delayed and I had to take SN instead. And this year was my 3rd SN flight.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 22): Good to hear that SN offer reasonably priced day returns, is this common pratice or just on certain route to compete with the likes of ezy?
This is certainly not common practice. Some years you used to be able to book one-way fares very easy on SN, just like on EZY and for a good price. Ever since the entry of SN in the LH group, prices have gone up and it is now virtually impossible to book a dayreturn at a decent price sadly. However I think with the competition of EZY on the GVA route I was lucky and found an attractive fare. But the difference in price with EZY for the cheapest tickets still is high (50%).
Quoting infodesk (Reply 22): Wow, I didn't realise they flew that much, pretty impressive.
I think it's the route with the most daily departures in the week on SN.
Actually the load in b-light was > 90% but you are not allowed to sit in a sit of another booking class (eco and eco+), hence the different colour seat covers.
Sultanils
Make some noise Rolls Royce!
25 Quokka: Hi Nils, Nice to see your trip report. It always makes me slightly envious that people in Europe can just go on little joy rides when you consider how
26 LXM83: Hi sultanils Thanks for your report. You don't see SN covered that often. You didn't stay in GVA for long! Maybe you'll be back soon - arriving on an
27 OA260: Nice report and pics , shame you didnt get your window seat on the first leg. Always wanted to try out the new ''Sabena''. Wonder what their J class l
28 sultanils: Hi all, very nice to see some more replies. Thanks Roy, I appreciate it! Thanks for your kind words. Yes, they did their best but in the end my window
29 SPLTA: Hello Sultanis, interesting TR and many good pictures. Great way to spend an enjoyable afternoon. My sole ARJ ride was WAW-BRU on SN and I liked it a
30 Sultanils: Hi SPLTA, Thank you! Exactly my opinion Sultanils
31 LH4116: Hello Nils, finally managed to finish reading your report. I must say you've done a pretty good job, a pleasant read with some nice pics! It's quite s
32 Sultanils: Hi there Jonas, may thanks for your comments! Thanks a lot. You could call them RCC (Reducing Costs Carrier) I think they learned from the past and th
33 TW: About the aircraft being 100% full in all classes: Are the number of seats in each class pre determined, or do they change the number of seats availab
34 BZNPilot: Hi sultanils, Very nice report, I enjoyed it very much. I know you posted it some time ago already, so my comments are overdue. Good question. Based o
35 Sultanils: Hi there, many thanks for your comments! I'm quite sure the number of seats for the b-light cabin are pre-determined as this is the cheapest booking c
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