As longtime OMAAT readers can attest to, I’ve long been obsessed with Air Belgium, an airline that launched passenger operations between Charleroi and Hong Kong back in 2018. The airline never made much sense to me, and for that matter, never actually turned a profit.
Continue reading: Bankrupt Air Belgium Sold For $844K, Rebranded As Air One Belgium
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
@ Julia -- Sorry, I got a bit too early of a start today, even by my own standards. Fixed. :p
@ Walter -- It appears that they're in storage, but are headed to Azul in Brazil:
https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/airbus-a330-900-oo-abg-air-belgium/r6km8k
https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/airbus-a330-900-oo-abf-air-belgium/e5o02v
"The two companies are taking over Air Belgium’s cargo business, air operator certificate, and about half of the company’s 400 employees. Air Belgium will continue freighter operations...."
The above still has value.
Kinda sad. They've managed to stay in business for so long that I began to expect they'd just be around forever, even if always doing something dumb and always on the brink. Plus, their latest and last livery was cool!
At least I flew one of their A340s wetleased to Lot back in 2019, so, like Ben, I was a small part of their storied history.
Oh well. I had a chance to fly them operating for LOT WAW-YYZ, but they went mechanical in WAW. Ended up LO to LHR then AC home.
Glad some of the employees will have jobs!
Flew them JFK to WAW as a wet lease for LOT aboard a A340 several years back. Service was fine. However, even I was questioning their business model at the time with A340 airframes.
When they moved to A330, thought they had a chance via wet leasing and charters.
The whole airline business is a crap shoot. Glad to see some jobs saved in the new legal entity.
I would believe the AOC is what they wanted. If PESO, who seem to understand how the aviation business works will successfully make it happen. Yes, I saw their A340 working a wet lease for LOT on YYZ-WAW.
I bought 3 tickets JHB-Bru just before these flights were abruptly cancelled. I never received a refund, like thousands of other passengers. I'm somewhat surprised the long process of waiting for a financial solution wasn't highlighted in this column. We're all eager to know whether we're going to be refunded or not. Perhaps a subject for a follow-up column?