Star Alliance - Brussels Airlines to join *A

Following on from the news that LH is to buy a 45% stake in SN, with an option to acquire the remaining 55% from 2011, it was also mentioned that as a part of this deal Brussels Airlines will join Star Alliance. A date for the airline's entry into the alliance has yet to be determined.

Following on from the news that LH is to buy a 45% stake in SN, with an option to acquire the remaining 55% from 2011, it was also mentioned that as a part of this deal Brussels Airlines will join Star Alliance. A date for the airline's entry into the alliance has yet to be determined.

Awesome, more routes to Africa! This should also give a few more intermediate points between Europe and JNB.

Awesome, more routes to Africa! This should also give a few more intermediate points between Europe and JNB.

Does UA still fly nonstop from US to BRU? I am not sure if US and/or CO do either. Since SN no longer fly transatlantic (I believe), it seems to only add additional connection options in Europe and Africa for US based *A FF.

LAX

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=14025

Does UA still fly nonstop from US to BRU?
Yes, from IAD.

Yes, from IAD.

I guess it does open more connecting options to US-based FF. With that said, are SN's intra-Europe flights any better than what's offered on LH/LX or other European *A carriers?

LAX

I guess it does open more connecting options to US-based FF. LAX

Yeah, and US seems to operate PHL-BRU, though I don't know if that's on the chopping block.

The thing is though that when you're looking for award seats, anything to JNB is difficult to come by, but availability is better on options that involve a connection somewhere in Africa as well as Europe.

That also opens up more stopover possibilities...right now there are quite a few *A routes from Europe to eastern Africa that link up to an SA route down to JNB, but not many in western Africa.

This is a great addition as it puts quite a few cities on the map for LH in Africa and even in Europe ... finally service to Strasbourg after this was unceremoniously axed by LH a few years ago.

Brussels Airlines entry into Star alliance confirmed.
BRUSSELS AIRLINES TO JOIN STAR ALLIANCE

- Chief Executive Board Approves Membership

Chicago, Illinois – December 11th, 2008 – At their annual Board Meeting, the CEOs of the Star Alliance member airlines have today voted to accept the application of Brussels Airlines to become a future member of the alliance.



Brussels Airlines is the Belgian airline offering the widest choice of flights to and from the “capital” of Europe. With a fleet of 45 aircraft the airline operates some 300 daily flights to 55 European airports and 15 African destinations.



Glenn Tilton, Chairman, President and CEO of United, in his role as chairman of the meeting said, “Brussels Airlines further strengthens the Star Alliance by offering greater connectivity throughout Europe and Africa to better serve the international travel needs of all our customers.”


Bernard Gustin, Managing Director of Brussels Airlines, said “We are very happy with this invitation from Star Alliance and we look forward to becoming a member carrier. Together we will be able to bring all the advantages of Star Alliance to our customers, both at the heart of Europe where we have our state-of-the-art hub, and to Africa, our second home where we have more than 80 years of experience.”



For the upcoming integration in Star Alliance, Brussels Airlines will be assisted by its sponsor Lufthansa. Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said, “Brussels Airlines is known for its reliability and brings into the alliance a trusted product. The leading Belgian carrier will significantly increase the presence of Star Alliance at Brussels Airport and will offer the easiest access to a couple of African destinations new to the network.”



Through its membership in Star Alliance, Brussels Airlines will be able to offer its passengers a variety of benefits. On the network side for instance, the airline will be able to offer its passengers seamless travel across the Star Alliance network which will expand to cover 1,074 destinations in 174 countries*.



Frequent Flyers in the Brussels Airlines Privilege programme will be able to collect and redeem miles on all other Star Alliance member carriers.



In order to provide all the alliance benefits, the specialised teams at Brussels Airlines, Star Alliance and its member carriers will now be working on the integration process, which once completed, will make Brussels Airlines a part of the Star Alliance network, currently consisting of 21 members.
I still don't see a date, though.

Brussels Airlines entry into Star alliance confirmed.

I still don't see a date, though.Do you have a link for this press release? I can't find it anywhere...

Do you have a link for this press release? I can't find it anywhere...

http://www.staralliance.com/en/press/press_releases/2008/brussels-airlines-join-staralliance.html

I guess it does open more connecting options to US-based FF. With that said, are SN's intra-Europe flights any better than what's offered on LH/LX or other European *A carriers?

LAX


LH and LX still offer free food in Economy and Business. SN has no service in Economy and you have to pay a fortune for a very bad sandwich. They no longer have a Business Class but call it Economy + which is a total waste of money. The management seemed to be confused by a catastrophic LCC strategy, the result of a recent merger between SN Brussels Airlines (what survived the bankruptcy of Sabena) and Virgin. Since it was announced that Lufthansa is taking over, Frequent Flyers based in Brussels hope for major changes and welcome this one as a step in the right direction.

Doesn't Branson have a stake in Brussels airlines? If so he is becoming more and more involved in *.

Doesn't Branson have a stake in Brussels airlines? If so he is becoming more and more involved in *.If he still has, I think LH has in any case an option to buy the remainder of SN in two years.