Brussels Airlines expands fleet, invests in cabin interiors
Brussels Airlines is expanding its A330 fleet
Brussels Airlines has announced it will expand its long-haul fleet by adding three A330 aircraft, bringing its widebody fleet to a total of 13. Brussels Airlines will also invest in a new cabin interior. The national home carrier signed a contract with a wet-lease partner as well, who will seasonally operate four A220 aircraft on behalf of the carrier from 2025. The airline also plans to grow its short- and medium-haul fleet.
“Brussels Airlines is the Africa expert within the Lufthansa Group, and plans to continue strengthening its position in the continent,” the September 13 press release said.
The airline will primarily use the extra long-haul capacity to reinforce its Sub-Saharan Africa network, striving to make Brussels (BRU) a European hub for flights to and from Africa.
“The demand for flights to and from Sub-Saharan Africa is developing at a fast pace and it is crucial for Lufthansa Group to grow its footprint in the region. Brussels Airlines is the perfect airline to do just that as its expertise and presence on the continent is unparalleled. This is unique and makes us confident about the success of this expansion project,” said Dieter Vranckx, Chairman of the Board of Directors, SN Airholding.
To support the long-haul growth plans, more than 250 new employees will be hired at Brussels Airlines, including pilots, cabin crew, maintenance & engineering colleagues, airport and office staff. Expanding the fleet is also expected to create career opportunities for the current airline employees.
The airline is planning to gradually introduce an updated cabin interior, to further elevate the inflight experience to its long-haul destinations. Details of the new cabin will be revealed at a later stage. These new cabins will be installed for all three classes: Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class. The cabin renewal project will see an investment of more than 100 million euros.
“Brussels Airlines is further embarking on its profitable growth path and we continue putting Africa at the heart of our long-haul strategy. The multi-million investment in cabin interior allows us to offer our customers an even more premium experience. This is a moment of pride for everyone at Brussels Airlines. I’m also already looking forward to welcoming the new colleagues who will join us to enable our growth. It’s with great pleasure that we will offer more connections to our increasing number of passengers on our growing network,” said Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO, Brussels Airlines.
