Just as we have the "big three" global carriers in the US, the same is sort of true in Europe, as they have three mega-airlines -- Air France-KLM, IAG, and Lufthansa Group. The aviation industry has changed radically around the world over the past decade, and that's probably even more true in Europe than elsewhere.…
Continue reading: Lufthansa Integrating Brussels Airlines Into Eurowings
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Terrible news really. Was on an SN flight last night operated by EW. The difference in quality and crew friendliness is remarkable. Also the brand reputation of EW is quite clearly lower than that of SN. On short haul I don't see a point of choosing EW over Ryanair or Easyjet anymore.
Better to make them as a part of Lufthansa and make BRU to a LH hub for western going longhaul
Why does Lufthansa want to get rid of them so badly?
1. LH probably wants SN’s operation out of *A to save on costs.
2. Lots of us got free long-haul flights on Brussels using relatively few Etihad miles.
3. "Was on an SN flight last night operated by EW. The difference in quality and crew friendliness is remarkable." Funny, my observation has been different. I found Brussels crews to/from Africa to be horrible, rude, and darn near what we would call abusive in the United States.
4. "While Eurowings is an ultra low cost carrier on shorthaul flights, the airline is introducing a real business class on longhaul flights, so they’re not that different than Brussels Airlines." Am guessing this is where Lufthansa sees future revenue. There is so much increasing capacity to Africa from other continents, and that's where the solid revenue is right now. Competing with the Chinese carriers won't be possible, but competing with e.g. TAP and Ethiopian will be.
What is happening to Brussels Africa operations? Keeping them in the new EW set up?
Of course there is national pride involved. Sabena was one of the best airlines in the world for a period from the '50s through to the'80s and Belgium punched above its weight in aviation. Now the last link with Sabena ( however tenuous ) will be gone with these plans and be subsumed within Eurowings, ie disappear without trace.
Watch out CSA and LOT , they might be coming for you next ( ...again).
Purely on personal preference and not from LH perspective, I like SN because it is a *alliance member. No BS about lounge access or not and I earn miles if it's a paid ticket. SN is often available on united.com in conjunction with award itineraries. I have flown EW and was underwhelmed.
Shame but SN service is very indicative of Belgian service in general: rude and unfriendly (Everything else Belgian is wonderful though!) Having said that I would still rather fly them than EW.
Very sad to see SN go (if they do), I liked them as a brand, especially over EW. By the way, I think it should read "the airline is introducing a real business class on long-haul flights, so they're not that different TO Eurowings any more". Sorry to be picky...
@IAC I’m guessing your British? This is one of those pesky differences between US English and other English dialects.
Does a decision like this get made in consultation with Lufthansa’s close partners?
United, for instance, has close code share relationship with SN just as it does with LH. On Brussels Air flights to IAD many people are usually transferring to United metal domestically. And on United flights to BRU many people are transferring to Brussels metal on to Africa.
I’m having a hard time seeing that kind of tight relationship between United and Eurowings....and even wonder whether Lufthansa will use those SN aircraft for transatlantic flights out of BRU at all.This seems like a bigger-than-meets the eye change in the transatlantic market and the Europe-Africa market.
At any rate and as published in the same blog today, the "National Airline" opportunity is not wasting time to be picked up by Air Belgium. It is much too early to know what will come out of it but I find it difficult to see a coincidence in the two developments, especially when the Belgian flag is draping the whole fuselage of the new airline.
Just booked an Aeroplan ticked on SN BRU-YYZ for Sept 2018. Will this have any impact? Is there any fixed timeline for this changeover?
This could be a very smart move for Lufthansa. If they integrate Brussels Airlines into Eurowings I will be really sad because I have always loved SN but it also gives them the possibility to acquire Air Belgium. They could then have another hub airline in Brussels. Although it's probably unlikely. However the terminating letters could just be Lufthansa wanting to get new CEO and CFO for Brussels airlines. But I believe that SN will just operate as a subsidiary for Eurowings. I also believe that Niki may join the Lufthansa Group but I don't hold out much hope for it. Anyway it will be interesting to see what happens in both Belgium and Austria
@IAC
It is not "different TO" or "different THAN," it should be "different FROM."
@grizzly
You are correct!
I have given up considering American-style English to be even approaching 'real' English. It isn't~ by any stretch of the imagination! That's alright with me; I can still understand what they are getting at despite misspelt words, made-up words and mangled grammar.
Curiously though, all American published authors have a comprehensive grasp of the English language. They are eyeing an international market I expect.
@Professional Editor:
"I'm guessing your British?" tsk, tsk !
It's "you're", as any professional editor would tell you!
No star alliance awards if Brussels Airlines if it's integrated with Eurowings. Or lounge facilities unless you're travelling biz on Eurowings internationally. I notice the Eurowings seating for international flights looks like LH's Seats which I believe they are. Worse than the current biz seating on Brussels Very sad that this is happening as Brussels Airlines has been turned into a decent carrier and profitable I believe. SABENA was a horrible government airline that never made a profit and the service was terrible. The Alitalia of Northern Europe UGH!!
This is a real shame. As seen from the UK, Brussels Airlines has been able to build up a reputation for decent connection options in particular for medium-long haul flights into parts of Africa not offered by many other airlines. It seems a shame to clip its wings, so to speak, so soon into its transformation.
I am also still haunted by the Germanwings incident and I don’t think I’m the only one...
@Noah Bowie 'I also believe that Niki may join the Lufthansa Group but I don’t hold out much hope for it. '
It's good that you're not, because there is absolutely no chance European antitrust regulators would allow the LH Group to establish a virtual monopoly in Austria.
Well, as a Belgian “m&m senator for quite a few years, this will turn it down totally and I will move to air Belgium for my Asian trips and Delta for the US bound traffic.. I won’t put my a.. in a Germanwings flight.. no way !
To bad for Brussels Airlines. Despite some issues if was the best crew and service I received last year, non low cost included