Brussels Airlines remains committed to Jet despite LH acquisition
Monday October 6, 2008
Brussels Airlines' recent financial tie-up with Lufthansa and its possible entry into Star Alliance will not affect its cooperation with Jet Airways, SN MD Bernard Gustin told ATWOnline last week.
"We included our partnership with Jet Airways in our discussions with Lufthansa from the beginning and made it very clear [to LH] that the cooperation [with Jet] is very important to us. They understand this," Gustin said, noting that the successful Jet partnership is a "positive" the carriers value. LH acquired an initial 45% of SN for €65 million ($90.4 million) and in 2011 will have an option to purchase the remaining 55% at a price related to its performance.
"Brussels Airlines fully supports the growth plans of Jet Airways. We benefit from their hub here," Gustin said. SN's passenger total thanks to the Jet hub has increased from 585 per month in August 2007 to 6,217 last July.
"About 200 Jet Airways passengers per day take a connecting flight with Brussels Airlines and I dare to forecast a doubling of this," Gustin said. Improved connection times and frequencies as well as joint sales efforts should increase volume further, he added. This winter schedule, 20 SN destinations will connect within a 2-hr. timeframe with Jet's schedule compared to three in winter 2007.
by Cathy Buyck
ATWOnline
Monday October 6, 2008
Brussels Airlines' recent financial tie-up with Lufthansa and its possible entry into Star Alliance will not affect its cooperation with Jet Airways, SN MD Bernard Gustin told ATWOnline last week.
"We included our partnership with Jet Airways in our discussions with Lufthansa from the beginning and made it very clear [to LH] that the cooperation [with Jet] is very important to us. They understand this," Gustin said, noting that the successful Jet partnership is a "positive" the carriers value. LH acquired an initial 45% of SN for €65 million ($90.4 million) and in 2011 will have an option to purchase the remaining 55% at a price related to its performance.
"Brussels Airlines fully supports the growth plans of Jet Airways. We benefit from their hub here," Gustin said. SN's passenger total thanks to the Jet hub has increased from 585 per month in August 2007 to 6,217 last July.
"About 200 Jet Airways passengers per day take a connecting flight with Brussels Airlines and I dare to forecast a doubling of this," Gustin said. Improved connection times and frequencies as well as joint sales efforts should increase volume further, he added. This winter schedule, 20 SN destinations will connect within a 2-hr. timeframe with Jet's schedule compared to three in winter 2007.
by Cathy Buyck
ATWOnline