Just been announced that Brussels Airlines are to buy Thomas Cook Belgium-

http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.engli ... /1.2937314

As the article says that leaves Belgium with just two airlines- Brussels and TUI.

However, Brussels Airlines is to be gobbled up by low-cost carrier Eurowings in 2018.

Seems to be the bigger news. Is this the conformation that Brussel Airlines will go low cost?

Brussels Airlines belongs to Lufthansa Group, how can they buy another airline?

So, does this mean that Thomas Cook prefers to shed its EU-airlines instead of adjusting its ownership structure due to Brexit?

Are DK and DE next?

C010T3 wrote:

Are DK and DE next?

That would be so cool. Then LH could buy DE back and transform Eurowings into Condor! And we would be all back were we started in the mid 90s!

1973mcg wrote:

Just been announced that Brussels Airlines are to buy Thomas Cook Belgium-

http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.engli ... /1.2937314

As the article says that leaves Belgium with just two airlines- Brussels and TUI.

Amazing news! Brussels Airlines already performed many flights for Thomas Cook Belgium ...

Here is an English version: http://www.luchtzak.be/airlines/brussel ... -aircraft/

KarelXWB wrote:

Brussels Airlines belongs to Lufthansa Group, how can they buy another airline?

On aero.de it is reported just like that: LH will take over a part of Thomas Cook Belgium (2 A320s and 160 pilots). Source: http://www.aero.de/news-26385/Thomas-Co ... rn-ab.html

Couldn't read all details, for sure there is an English press release out there in the www..

KarelXWB wrote:

Brussels Airlines belongs to Lufthansa Group, how can they buy another airline?

They can. As long as hey remain a separate legal person from LH (corporation). Look at IAG and their structure of BACityFlyer for example

I have to wonder if Condor is next as well, given that Thomas Cook may be bracing for a post-EU UK. More interesting will be what happens to IAG.

LGAviation wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

Brussels Airlines belongs to Lufthansa Group, how can they buy another airline?

They can. As long as hey remain a separate legal person from LH (corporation). Look at IAG and their structure of BACityFlyer for example

I suspect that OP was incredulous that Brussels Airlines being part of Lufthansa Group and the major carrier in Belgium would not create competition problems. Operating in different markets might well mean it is allowed, but I would expect some form of enquiry.

KarelXWB wrote:

Brussels Airlines belongs to Lufthansa Group, how can they buy another airline?

Brussels airlines is owned by the Lufthansa group. Why should they no be able to buy another airline? Swiss owns Edelweiss.

IMO we see BREXIT at work.

Very cool.

SN has been recently moving into more leisure routes (Mallorca or Madeira starting this year) so buying TC Belgium makes a lot of sense. Also compared to TUIFly (which has a major presence in CRL), TCB is focused in BRU only.

aemoreira1981 wrote:

I have to wonder if Condor is next as well, given that Thomas Cook may be bracing for a post-EU UK. More interesting will be what happens to IAG.

IAG is technically a Spanish company based in Madrid, so I would expect very little to change.

It's a shame that Brussels Airlines will disappear soon, though.

As long as it has permission from papa Lufthansa Group Brussels Airlines can buy whatever it wants.

KarelXWB wrote:

Brussels Airlines belongs to Lufthansa Group, how can they buy another airline?

Generally this is referred to as a tuck-in acquisition as it's being tucked into a subsidiary of a larger company.

Dutchy wrote:

However, Brussels Airlines is to be gobbled up by low-cost carrier Eurowings in 2018.

Seems to be the bigger news. Is this the conformation that Brussel Airlines will go low cost?

"to be gobbled up" is a very bad reflection of the reality, and, imo, a wrong interpretation of the situation by the journalist.

The Eurowings-Brussels Airlines story will look much more like a merger, it is even possible that the HQ of the future Eurowings will be located in Brussels (I am not saying that it will be, but as it stands, SN outperforms Eurowings and is leading the synergies). Carsten Spohr is not going to kill the profitable part of the two, he will also not tolerate that EW keeps draining money, he has made it clear that EW needs to start to deliver. Carsten Spohr's dream is to develop a pan-European LCC competitor with bases all over the continent, I don't think he cares to much if the EW HQ is in Dusseldorf or in Brussels.

To get back to Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium, I also think that the topic title is wrong, not any of the press releases (or executives) mentioned a financial transaction or a transfer of shares. Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium will be closed down, 2 of its aircraft going to SN, 3 aircraft going to other parts of the Thomas Cook Group. The company will be dissolved as far as I understand.

TCAB has been struggling since the 2008 financial crisis and the management was never able to turn it around. Over the last few years a lot of the operations and staff were slimmed down and outsourced to other Thomas Cook airline branches. Also less and less flights were operated and TCAB became a rather inefficient operation with a lot of aircraft sitting idle during off-peak times. In the end, I think it was just common sense to close the airline, rather than let it go bankrupt.

Brussels Airlines already operated a lot of charter flight for Thomas Cook, the current cooperation will now be intensified (likely double or triple in size).

It is also mentioned that SN is going to take over all of the TCAB flying crew, 160 pilots and FA's (basically for 4-5 aircraft) but at the same time only 2 A320 will go go Brussels Airlines. I see a lot of "excess" crew there, I guess we will see additional aircraft in 2018 to keep this crew busy (an 11th A330 is almost a given, but maybe also a 12th, as well as extra A320/A321?). The last Avro and some A319 will be replaced by A321, this is already confirmed by various sources.

Exciting times ahead for SN, but at the same time I also want to express my deepest sympathies for the 40 people that will loose their job. I hope they all find a new challenge very soon!

1973mcg wrote:

Just been announced that Brussels Airlines are to buy Thomas Cook Belgium-

http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.engli ... /1.2937314

As the article says that leaves Belgium with just two airlines- Brussels and TUI.

Does Belgium even need two local based airlines given its small base?

anstar wrote:

1973mcg wrote:

Just been announced that Brussels Airlines are to buy Thomas Cook Belgium-

http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.engli ... /1.2937314

As the article says that leaves Belgium with just two airlines- Brussels and TUI.

Does Belgium even need two local based airlines given its small base?

Actually, Belgium went from 4 passenger airlines to 3, the airline being overlooked in this story being Air Belgium, that is supposed to start operating later this year.

KarelXWB wrote:

Brussels Airlines belongs to Lufthansa Group, how can they buy another airline?

Brussels Airlines has a separate legal personality. Subject to Brussels Airlines going through its internal corporate approval process (which no doubt under the constitution/shareholder agreement involves some form of approval from the upstream parent entity (i.e. LH)) I can't see why they couldn't buy another airline.

CARST wrote:

C010T3 wrote:

Are DK and DE next?

That would be so cool. Then LH could buy DE back and transform Eurowings into Condor! And we would be all back were we started in the mid 90s!

There was recently an interview, I only have that German source without any names who was interviewed, but according to this interview DE is not for sale anytime soon.

http://www.n-tv.de/wirtschaft/kurznachr ... 66346.html

I think they will keep the profitable airlines and sell the less profitable ones.

hispanola wrote:

aemoreira1981 wrote:

I have to wonder if Condor is next as well, given that Thomas Cook may be bracing for a post-EU UK. More interesting will be what happens to IAG.

IAG is technically a Spanish company based in Madrid, so I would expect very little to change.

It's a shame that Brussels Airlines will disappear soon, though.

Brussels Airlines disappearing? Did I miss something? I know LH opted to increase their stake in SN, but haven't heard anything about retiring the Brussels Airlines brand.

Side note: Why doesn't SN just change their name back to Sabena? Other than the obvious news its bankruptcy created, I don't recall Sabena ever having an especially negative brand reputation. I'm just not a fan of the Brussels Airlines branding at all with those haphazardly slapped-on dots and tired-looking livery.

hispanola wrote:

aemoreira1981 wrote:

I have to wonder if Condor is next as well, given that Thomas Cook may be bracing for a post-EU UK. More interesting will be what happens to IAG.

IAG is technically a Spanish company based in Madrid, so I would expect very little to change.

It's a shame that Brussels Airlines will disappear soon, though.

Depends on what you mean by technically. IAG is a Spanish registered company with its operational/corporate headquarters in London, along with by far the dominant carrier of the group, operationally, commercially, revenue and profit.

flyguy89 wrote:

hispanola wrote:

aemoreira1981 wrote:

I have to wonder if Condor is next as well, given that Thomas Cook may be bracing for a post-EU UK. More interesting will be what happens to IAG.

IAG is technically a Spanish company based in Madrid, so I would expect very little to change.

It's a shame that Brussels Airlines will disappear soon, though.

Brussels Airlines disappearing? Did I miss something? I know LH opted to increase their stake in SN, but haven't heard anything about retiring the Brussels Airlines brand.

Side note: Why doesn't SN just change their name back to Sabena? Other than the obvious news its bankruptcy created, I don't recall Sabena ever having an especially negative brand reputation. I'm just not a fan of the Brussels Airlines branding at all with those haphazardly slapped-on dots and tired-looking livery.

I second this. Sabena - Belgian Airlines is still a decent brand which people remember. It's also simpler than Brussels Airlines.

I do think that more could be made of the Brussels hub in future. However it's unclear at present what LH's group's plans are for SN long term.

Reading between the lines, I get the impression they will join together the operations of SN with those of Eurowings, but maintain separate brands.

TheLion wrote:

flyguy89 wrote:

Side note: Why doesn't SN just change their name back to Sabena? Other than the obvious news its bankruptcy created, I don't recall Sabena ever having an especially negative brand reputation. I'm just not a fan of the Brussels Airlines branding at all with those haphazardly slapped-on dots and tired-looking livery.

I second this. Sabena - Belgian Airlines is still a decent brand which people remember. It's also simpler than Brussels Airlines.

Didn't it have more to do with potential legal ramifications of using a bankrupt airline's name? If they had stayed with the Sabena name when they reorganized, creditors could have gone after them. Or something like that.

Anyway, I think it would be a stupid idea to try to resurrect the name now. It's been dead for more than a decade. Using the same IATA code is a nice tip of the hat, and "Brussels Airlines" has been built into a nice brand. It has a little bit of that quirky Belgian feel, and I don't think it's a huge problem that it's named after the capital seeing as SN doesn't serve any of the other airports in Belgium anyway. Belgians outside of Brussels are a little touchy about the legitimacy of their national identity anyway.

Also, why do people keep thinking SN will dissolve into EW? There's no evidence of that happening whatsoever.

Indeed it would be counter-productive if SN was totally folded into Eurowings, unless that was using a Belgian AOC. It would cut off access to those African routes, where quite a few of the destination countries still have bilateral Air Service Agreements that specify Belgian carriers for flights from Belgium. It is EU policy to change such bilaterals so any EU carrier is permitted, but of course to change an ASA requires agreement at both ends, so is a slow business. Now folding just the shorthaul ops would be possible, or painting Eurowings on the side of a plane that is still Brussels Airlines, though I can't see the point of the last.

And SHS Aviation (VLM Airlines) buys the remainder of Thomas Cook Belgium: http://www.luchtzak.be/airlines/vlm-air ... s-belgium/