Airliners-India.com Forum Index Airliners-India.com
Flickr Group & Facebook
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Brussels Airlines Route Performance BOM-BRU-BOM

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Airliners-India.com Forum Index -> Civil Aviation
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
sanil.shah
Member


Joined: 26 Nov 2012
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 10:37 am    Post subject: Brussels Airlines Route Performance BOM-BRU-BOM Reply with quote

Hi
Any update on how Brussels Airlines is doing on the BOM-BRU-BOM sector ?

I flew on it a few days ago, and here are my views

- the load was around 50% in business class and economy class.
- i had to buy a higher fare business class as it seemed the flight was full but only 8/22 seats were occupied when i was on board
- the food choice and quality was terrible - the AVML is disgusting
- the A333 and A332 are all around 15 years old with refurbished cabins - but the plane is so noisy!
- the inflight enterntaiment is also very sub standard with very few choice selection
- on the BRU-BOM sector (economy class) - they served lunch right after take off and second snack an hour before arrival - which means no food for 7 hours straight upfront !

Im not sure, with its parent company Lufthansa having FRA and MUC and Swiss with ZRH, how Brussels Airlines is going to cope with the market share to make this route profitable.

They just increased from 5 weekly to 6 weekly - dont know bcoz of amazing load factor or it was just a planned step in the winter schedule.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Caliguy
Member


Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 723
Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Brussels Airlines Route Performance BOM-BRU-BOM Reply with quote

sanil.shah wrote:
Hi
Any update on how Brussels Airlines is doing on the BOM-BRU-BOM sector ?

I flew on it a few days ago, and here are my views

- the load was around 50% in business class and economy class.
- i had to buy a higher fare business class as it seemed the flight was full but only 8/22 seats were occupied when i was on board
- the food choice and quality was terrible - the AVML is disgusting
- the A333 and A332 are all around 15 years old with refurbished cabins - but the plane is so noisy!
- the inflight enterntaiment is also very sub standard with very few choice selection
- on the BRU-BOM sector (economy class) - they served lunch right after take off and second snack an hour before arrival - which means no food for 7 hours straight upfront !

Im not sure, with its parent company Lufthansa having FRA and MUC and Swiss with ZRH, how Brussels Airlines is going to cope with the market share to make this route profitable.

They just increased from 5 weekly to 6 weekly - dont know bcoz of amazing load factor or it was just a planned step in the winter schedule.


Have no idea on performance. I will say you see award seats on them much less frequently then before (on UA's website). As far as food, isn't the norm one meal and a snack on EU-BOM? I think the only thing you missed was ice cream mid flight. I've always felt that this flight exists mostly to help fill their NA flights plus capture the small nonstop J demand.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
iah87
Member


Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 2566

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regarding food, I don't see anything wrong in that. Lunch after take off and then a snack before arrival. What do you expect for a 8 hour flight. AVML in many airlines are hit or miss, I guess this is in the miss category.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Jaysit
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 4346

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:42 pm    Post subject: Re: Brussels Airlines Route Performance BOM-BRU-BOM Reply with quote

Caliguy wrote:
sanil.shah wrote:
Hi
Any update on how Brussels Airlines is doing on the BOM-BRU-BOM sector ?

I flew on it a few days ago, and here are my views

- the load was around 50% in business class and economy class.
- i had to buy a higher fare business class as it seemed the flight was full but only 8/22 seats were occupied when i was on board
- the food choice and quality was terrible - the AVML is disgusting
- the A333 and A332 are all around 15 years old with refurbished cabins - but the plane is so noisy!
- the inflight enterntaiment is also very sub standard with very few choice selection
- on the BRU-BOM sector (economy class) - they served lunch right after take off and second snack an hour before arrival - which means no food for 7 hours straight upfront !

Im not sure, with its parent company Lufthansa having FRA and MUC and Swiss with ZRH, how Brussels Airlines is going to cope with the market share to make this route profitable.

They just increased from 5 weekly to 6 weekly - dont know bcoz of amazing load factor or it was just a planned step in the winter schedule.


Have no idea on performance. I will say you see award seats on them much less frequently then before (on UA's website). As far as food, isn't the norm one meal and a snack on EU-BOM? I think the only thing you missed was ice cream mid flight. I've always felt that this flight exists mostly to help fill their NA flights plus capture the small nonstop J demand.


You keep going on and on like a broken gramophone complaining about this purported strategy. The reality is that airlines are in the money making business and if they see a market (and the US-India market is huge), they will try and get a piece of it. And what's wrong with that? It provides more choices to the consumer and keeps prices low. And in this instance, it provides a near daily nonstop (the only one) on the India-Belgium sector.

As for the load factor on that one flight, October post-Diwali is a lull on the India sector. I'm flying them on November 20 to India (sadly in Economy), and let's see what my anecdotal experience says. Oh, and the last time I flew Y between Europe and India (2012 on Swiss), you got one main meal post-take off, and a snack pre-arrival. That's the MO on these routes. If one is really hungry all you need to do is go to the galley and ask nicely, and I'm sure the cabin crew will give you some nuts or pretzels or chips to munch on.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
The_Goat
Member


Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 3260
Location: South of France

PostPosted: Wed Nov 08, 2017 12:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I flew with SN on the BRU-BOM-BRU route in september. Here are my observations.

1. The BRU-BOM leg had a load factor of about 50%but the return BOM-BRU leg was chock full at 100%.

2. Anecdotal evidence about pax is that more than 50% are US/UK/Canada bound.

3. The A332's they use are ex-Swiss and look a bit tired. But the seats and the IFE have been refurbished.

4. The IFE was pretty good for a 8 hour flight. Not a great selection (like EK) but way better than TK.

5. I had pre-ordered an AVML. It was great. As good as LH, way better than TK and EK.

6. The icings on the cake are the crew and the transit in BRU. BRU is a compact airport and so there's no need to walk miles or catch trains while changing gates like in FRA or MUC. As for the crew, they were the friendliest I've seen anywhere.

Will I fly SN again? Sure as hell.
_________________
I don't know which is the more pampered bunch : AI's widebodies (the aunties) or Jet's widebodies (the planes).
-Jasepl
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Caliguy
Member


Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 723
Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Wed Nov 08, 2017 9:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Brussels Airlines Route Performance BOM-BRU-BOM Reply with quote

Jaysit wrote:
Caliguy wrote:
sanil.shah wrote:
Hi
Any update on how Brussels Airlines is doing on the BOM-BRU-BOM sector ?

I flew on it a few days ago, and here are my views

- the load was around 50% in business class and economy class.
- i had to buy a higher fare business class as it seemed the flight was full but only 8/22 seats were occupied when i was on board
- the food choice and quality was terrible - the AVML is disgusting
- the A333 and A332 are all around 15 years old with refurbished cabins - but the plane is so noisy!
- the inflight enterntaiment is also very sub standard with very few choice selection
- on the BRU-BOM sector (economy class) - they served lunch right after take off and second snack an hour before arrival - which means no food for 7 hours straight upfront !

Im not sure, with its parent company Lufthansa having FRA and MUC and Swiss with ZRH, how Brussels Airlines is going to cope with the market share to make this route profitable.

They just increased from 5 weekly to 6 weekly - dont know bcoz of amazing load factor or it was just a planned step in the winter schedule.


Have no idea on performance. I will say you see award seats on them much less frequently then before (on UA's website). As far as food, isn't the norm one meal and a snack on EU-BOM? I think the only thing you missed was ice cream mid flight. I've always felt that this flight exists mostly to help fill their NA flights plus capture the small nonstop J demand.


You keep going on and on like a broken gramophone complaining about this purported strategy. The reality is that airlines are in the money making business and if they see a market (and the US-India market is huge), they will try and get a piece of it. And what's wrong with that? It provides more choices to the consumer and keeps prices low. And in this instance, it provides a near daily nonstop (the only one) on the India-Belgium sector.

As for the load factor on that one flight, October post-Diwali is a lull on the India sector. I'm flying them on November 20 to India (sadly in Economy), and let's see what my anecdotal experience says. Oh, and the last time I flew Y between Europe and India (2012 on Swiss), you got one main meal post-take off, and a snack pre-arrival. That's the MO on these routes. If one is really hungry all you need to do is go to the galley and ask nicely, and I'm sure the cabin crew will give you some nuts or pretzels or chips to munch on.


Sorry where am I complaining or disparaging their strategy? I think US/EU carriers were short sited to lower their India presence (btw I think DL/9W should start a nonstop US/India flight to build the future). Going back to BOM-BRU - some flights are for O&D and some flights make sense for connecting pax. Brussels air is part of the LH group. I think it is a fair question as to why they added this flight when LH, Swiss are already there (I felt that is what the poster was bringing into the discussion). Reason one could be O&D or reason 2 is they need to fill seats across their network just like LH and Swiss do. I am just saying the flight was added for the latter with the added benefit of BOM-BRU having some high yielding diamond traffic (or that's what I think). I bring up the connecting pax to the US because coach fares are still low on those flights. Which tells me India as a source country to help fill seats, especially in winter, seems to be important. Four years ago EU/US carriers cut one stop flights to India because a $1000 fare US-India seemed less attractive than a $800 US-EU fare. Times change.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
avbuff
Member


Joined: 22 Dec 2006
Posts: 5031

PostPosted: Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

October is a low season overall for travel and the US - India bookings start picking up post November. So 50% is a decent load factor clocked.

India - Belgium has a very good high yielding movement and it allows LH group to funnel passengers as per the choices.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
arpitgupta
Member


Joined: 01 May 2016
Posts: 17
Location: Delhi

PostPosted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 2:05 pm    Post subject: Brussels Airlines planning to launch DEL flights Reply with quote

The airline reportedly got good response with more than 80℅ PLF on its BOM flights

http://wap.business-standard.com/article/companies/brussels-airlines-mulls-non-stop-service-to-delhi-airport-117110900454_1.html
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Jaysit
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 4346

PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Flight out of BRU on Monday, Nov. 20 was full from bow to stern with not an empty seat in sight. About 30% connecting from North America according to the gate agent.

Legroom good (33" as advertised) allowing me about 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep, service good, food good (no menus), entertainment limited but interesting (I watched the South African Indian film "Keeping Up with the Kandaswamys, and it was a fun ride), earbuds for entertainment lousy (so bring your own if you want to hear anything over the hum of the AC). BRU a much better alternative to any other EU airport (or Gulf airport with their rude, bossy transit security agents).
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Airliners-India.com Forum Index -> Civil Aviation All times are GMT + 5.5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group. Hosted by phpBB.BizHat.com