by Lufthansa Flyer | Apr 3, 2017 | Brussels, Featured, Passenger Experience, Sukhoi SSJ100 SuperJet |
After initially deploying wet-leased Sukhoi SSJ100 Superjets on several routes in Europe, Brussels Airlines has announced additional cities that will see the aircraft.
Beginning in June 2017 Bastia, Manchester, Stockholm (Bromma), and Strasbourg will have ‘SN’ flights operated by the SSJ100.
The SSJ100 is a short term solution as Brussels Airlines begins its phase-out of the Avro RJ100 ‘Jumbolino’ and begins to receive narrow body Airbus aircraft over the next several months as their replacement.
H/T: AirlineRoute.net
Related: Brussels Airlines Introducing Russian Sukhoi In 2 Weeks
by Lufthansa Flyer | Mar 17, 2017 | Brussels, Featured, Route Announcements, Sukhoi SSJ100 SuperJet |
As part of a wide ranging strategy to update and streamline fleet operations, Brussels Airlines will introduce the Sukhoi SSJ100 Superjet on several routes beginning March 26. Three SSJ100s will will be wet-leased from CityJet (Irish carrier) meaning that the aircraft will be operated by CityJet crew. CityJet is the only Western European airline to operate the Russian-made aircraft.
CityJet’s Sukhoi SSJ100 SuperJet. Photo Courtesy of CityJet
The lease arrangement is in place for 2 years as Brussels Airlines transitions away from the Avro RJ100 ‘Jumbolino’ and awaits A320 aircraft to be brought in as replacements for the Avro. As it stands today, the last 8 of Brussels Airlines Avro’s are scheduled to be removed from service by November 2017.
The Brussels Airlines destinations that will see the SuperJet will be Basel, Berlin Tegel, Birmingham, Bologna, Bordeaux, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Geneva, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Krakow, Milan Linate, Milan (Linate AND Malpensa), Nice, Prague, Venice, Vienna, and Warsaw.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Mar 12, 2017 | 777x, Austrian, Brussels, Business Class, Featured, Lufthansa |
In what was not exactly a surprise, Lufthansa took the opportunity at last week’s ITB travel show in Berlin to confirm that a new long haul Business Class product is coming for 2020. Why 2020? It’s because 2020 is when LH plans to introduce Boeing’s new 777X to their fleet.
What makes this announcement different from past Lufthansa cabin announcements is that the new Business Class seat will be ‘standardized’ across Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian. In other words, each of these carriers will share the same exact seat in their respective Business Cabin. At this point, no decision has been made on Brussels, but in my opinion since Brussels is being melded into Eurowings, it may not enjoy the same cabin as the other carriers within LH Group.
The reason for the standardized Business Class is simple. It is much easier to develop one seating system, and more cost effective to install and maintain that one system.
No specific details of the seat have been revealed other than it will be a very ‘digitized seat’ in that passengers will have complete control of their seat through their ‘smart’ device. This control will extend to the control of seat position, lighting, and of course the IFE system.
The one concern that I have with the announcement has to do with verbiage from Lufthansa. It is suggested that the seat HAS been developed instead of WILL BE developed. Hopefully this doesn’t mean that the seat will already be obsolete by the time it is introduced. This has happened in the past, so hopefully lessons have been learned.
Also, in my opinion, based on what I have heard from Lufthansa and others in the know while I was in Munich a few weeks ago, it appears that this Business Class cabin upgrade may also go a long way in reducing, if not eliminating the First Class cabin from Lufthansa’s DNA. With no plans for a First Class cabin for the 777X, and the new A350s also being without a First Class cabin, the writing is clearly on the wall.
