[Anonymous]

[dutchyankee]

I just read in Travel Magazine (Belgian magazine) that JET Airways is planning to move their European connecting Hub from BRU to AMS in 2016. This has been rumoured a number of times the past two years but has not happened. Does BT know anything about the veracity of this latest rumour?

[AMcWhirter]

Indeed, dutchyankee.

We reported on this development in May 2013. But, to date, nothing has happened.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/jet-airways-plans-an-amsterdam-switch

[Charles-P]

They recently redecorated their lounge at Brussels, might be relevant, might not.

[AMcWhirter]

News in the (Flemish) Belgian media that Jet Airways is indeed planning to change its operations at BRU.

Full details are unavailable at present but is in a “consultation process with staff” it was reported.

http://www.tijd.be/ondernemen/luchtvaart/Jet_Airways_overweegt_exit_Zaventem.9696539-3085.art?ckc=1&ts=1446817088

[AMcWhirter]

dutchyankee –

You’re correct. Updated news from the Flemish media in Belgium states that Jet Airways intends to quit BRU.

But still unclear as to whether or not it will be moving to AMS.

According to reports Jet Airways has slots at AMS should it wish to use them.

It’s a loss for BRU as this city has few long-haul international routes compared with its nearby rivals AMS and CDG.

http://www.tijd.be/ondernemen/luchtvaart/Jet_Airways_overweegt_exit_Zaventem.9696539-3085.art

[KSHaggag]

I am questioning the real need for 9W to move its hub from BRU to AMS ..in BRU they have less competition in a market hungry for longhaul routes ,whereas in AMS they will be competing with a crowd ,notably strong KLM and DL .
Is it dictated by Mami Etihad ? they want their partners to come under one roof at Schiphol and connect seemlessly btw AUH,AMS,JFK ??

[dutchyankee]

Hi Alex,

Yes, all over the Belgian news regarding this. At the height of the creation of 9W’s hub at BRU, they had six 777’s on the ground rotating between JFK, EWR, and YYZ and to BOM, DEL, and CCU. They are now down to A330’s on all or most flights I believe, but still this will be a big loss to Brussels Airport which has been trying to attract new long haul service (ANA just agreed to re-start service to Tokyo). I agree with KSHaggag, so much better at BRU vis a vis competition, and the airport is far more compact than AMS. It will be really unfortunate, and will only leave Star Alliance on the BRU to EWR and YYZ route.

[KSHaggag]

Hi Dutchyankee,

Very much indeed !..I am not sure about 9W s loads so far on BRU/JFK or EWR and YYZ but I feel it is a strategy thing being cascaded from Etihad since they want to get their partners under one roof for seemless connections at Schiphol ..

[GenerationY]

Perhaps the link below will shed some light.

http://wap.business-standard.com/article/companies/jet-might-make-amsterdam-gateway-to-us-canada-115091400842_1.html

Given how restrictive star alliance is for their member to cooperate with non-star, it is actually logical for Jet to move to AMS. Especially, India is now in star and Jet relies on Brussels for flight to Europe and Jet is a partner of KLM.

Furthermore, KL doesn’t offer direct flight to Mumbai, assuming Jet will codeshare with KLM, jet flight to/from Mumbai will only bring more customers to KLM, Schipol and Netherlands.

[AMcWhirter]

Another report today from Times of India talks about the high costs (for Jet Airways) in using European airports for such a hub operation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Jet-finds-Brussels-hub-unviable-rethinks-on-continuing-with-it/articleshow/49718351.cms

Also there’s news today that Jet Airways has ordered 75 B737 MAX aircraft.

Why is this significant ? To me it suggests that Jet intends to cut back some of its really long routes (similar to what MAB is doing) and to reduce capacity. It appears the B777-300ERs are too large for most of its long-haul routes.

These B737 MAX are long-range versions of the B737 and are quite capable of flying non-stop between India, SE Asia, the Gulf and perhaps some points in the south of Europe.

http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/41658-jet-airways-orders-75-b737-max-8-with-options

[GenerationY]

Hi AMcWhirter,

I won’t be surprise if JET will be a regional player and transfer their long haul to EY via AUH. At the same time, jet mentioned they they tried to sustained BRU, but failed. Could that efforts failed as a result of Air India joining Star? Or could it also be because of EY equity? Perhaps Brussels airlines has been pressured to slowly severe their cooperation with Jet by AI and LH? (We all know how crazy LH management is towards any form of ME3?)…

[AMcWhirter]

It’s now official.

http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20151118_01977226

Jet Airways will withdraw from Brussels and so the Belgian capital. It’s a major loss for the Belgian airport as it will lose Jet’s services both to India and N America.

Brussels has few long-haul services so these losses will be felt keenly.

It had been thought that Jet would transfer its operations to nearby Amsterdam but as “GenerationY” notes above, it may simply head for AbuDhabi and equity partner Etihad.

[Author]

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