If the past two years has featured anything – it’s where airlines have been adjusting their fleets to match their demand. Brussels Airlines is no stranger to this, with the airline adding additional aircraft for the summer.
Brussels Airlines Airbus A319 in their new house colours – Image, Brussels Airlines.
The airline will add two extra aircraft – these will be:
- An Airbus A319-100
- An Airbus A320
The move comes as Brussels Airlines notes a significant increase in leisure demand for summer, with 75% more requests from tour operators, 140% more requests for charter business compared to 2020 with the expectation that demand will rise as they head towards summer
With two aircraft entering the fleet, the airline has shifted its fleet around, from a peak of 42 aircraft in 2019, dropping to 30 in 2020. Brussels Airlines are therefore extending the least on one A319 will therefore be extended to October 2022 and the phase-in of one A320 will be advanced to June 2022.
In Quotes
Peter Gerber, CEO of Brussels Airlines said
“We see clear signals that this crisis is slowly but surely coming to an end. The leisure segment in the market recovered more quickly than originally expected and we also see a slow but steady increase in the demand for corporate travel. By 2024 we should again reach the level of 2019 if it comes to the demand in the business travel segment. This is definitely the right time to increase our market share and once again confirm our position as Belgium’s home carrier.”
Long-haul expansion continues
Brussels Airlines long-haul expansion continues apace, with the airline growing its presence in Africa. This is thanks to a 9th Airbus A330 being used.
This additional plane allows Brussels Airlines to increase frequencies to several of its destinations in Sub Sahara Africa and to resume its flights to Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Conakry (Guinée), which were discontinued in 2020.
Positioning for Summer
The summer season is important for airlines, as this is the time when people are travelling most. After the past two years, Brussels Airlines will be seeking to capitalise on the pent-up travel demand. With the extra capacity coming on stream, as well as the extension of a lease it should provide the extra seats Brussels Airlines needs to make hay whilst the sun shines.
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