Despite their overall struggles, Lufthansa is looking at some significant acquisitions. I've written repeatedly about how Lufthansa is planning on taking over many of airberlin's planes and routes. Airberlin is doing horribly financially, so on the surface it seems a bit odd that Lufthansa would want to take over their competitor's money losing routes. However,…
Continue reading: Lufthansa Buys Brussels Airlines… Could It Be The End Of The Brand?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
This is a bit of deja vu. Does anyone else remember when Swissair bought the financially troubled Sabena, which led to the collapse of SR?
I think the brand will be retained; it's a matter of cultural and political sensitivity. Lufthansa didn't debrand Austrian or Swiss. There is strong opposition to LH, read Germany, dropping flag carriers. LH wanted to buy LOT and the fear factor went skyhigh that LH was becoming the airline uber alles; the sale didn't go through after Warsaw pushed back and doubts that the EU would approve it. Same with British Airways and Iberia, Aer Lingus: One stipulation that the Irish government made was that the Aer Lingus name/brand/long haul service remained.
From what I can gather SN have a strong brand in Africa and this has proved quite lucrative over the years. Not sure why they would want to damage that by merging into Eurowings. Perhaps they merge a lot of the shorthaul network though
The more alarming part is that Brussels doesn't charge ridiculous fuel surcharges and Lufthansa does. Brussels just started flying out of Toronto and the reason I'm flying them is that the awards flights are ridiculously cheap. Lufthansa would have cost THOUSANDS for a family of four.
I think Brussles will more or less stay like it is now. With their long haul focus laying on Africa, they're a great addition to the existing Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance network. Many of those Europe-Africa routes are operated in competition with KLM so I can't really see why Lufthansa would make them drop those flights. Neither can I see them being taken over by Eurowings.
So I guess the plan for EW is to open up a base in BRU and operate alongside SN, just like they're doing it with OS in VIE. Maybe they'll get to take over a few SN A320s or it will be EW operated by SN.
Lucky does this mean the awesome award redemptions on Brussels with Etihad miles will disappear very soon??
Europe may be on the path to the USA's oligopoly. If they keep going down this path, they might just be left with British Air, Air France and Lufthansa as their only legacy carriers.
I'd hate to lose star alliance benefits when connecting at BRU if SN goes the way of Eurowings. I love that airport, and the Schengen lounge is techy, modern, and fun.
@ iv I know! I flew to Scotland last year and tried to completely avoid AC so went Toronto to chicago, to paris, to brussels, to scotland......then scotland to brussels, to madrid........and then had to take an AC flight back with no other options/availability. Should have run me about $130 total but the AC flight jacked it to $690. Ridiculous that they still charge those fees!
I'd say Brusseles Airlines merge into Eurowings would make sense, as
- their business model (hybrid airline) is quite similar to Eurowings,
- also Eurowings operates A330s already (and of course flying them on long haul routes). So that is also no issue here 😉
(OK, to fit in the fleet of Eurowings a downgrade of the existing business class seats as well as the service is "needed".
Brussels fuel surcharge waiver for star alliance only applies to Aeroplan.
Aeroplan doesn't charge for Swiss either, and that's already under lh group
Pretty sure the programs that charge fuel surcharges already do so on Brussels. United and life miles program doesn't acknowledge fuel surcharges to begin with
I recently flew Brussels Airlines Toulouse - Brussels - Prague and back. Four legs. All of them far more budget-feeling than the numerous easyJet flights I take each year within Europe.
Back in the 1970's and 80's I was a big fan of SABENA and often flew transatlantic aboard the airline's 707's, DC10's, and 747's. The jumbo's featured a truly elegant First Class Lounge on the upper deck. Actually, my first ever transatlantic 'Business Class' flight was aboard a SABENA 747, back in 1981. The Business cabin was "E" Zone - at the very back of the plane!
I still miss glamorous SABENA. But I won't be sorry in the least to see the end of lackluster Brussels Airlines.
Now will everyone at your desk stop lauding the ability of Christoph Mueller and see him for what he is! His two "successes" - according to you - are Aer Lingus (sold to Avios/BA) and now Brussels sold off to Lufthansa. He probably left MH as he couldn't see the way to making it a saleable proposition. Heaven only knows what he has in mind for EK - Sale to Qatar/Avios!!!!! The man is just a low cost heritage five star wrecker
Long-haul will not stay if it's the Eurowings model. Even on the slight chance it did remain, LH will wack rewards with fuel surcharges. Sad day for Europhile Star Alliance ff members.
Being Brussels based I fear that they will go the Eurowings way and lower their standard even further. SN has really deteriorated a lot in the 10 years I've been a fequent flyer with them. If they cut any more, I may as well fly B**** Air, as there's not much of a difference left except at times the price.