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  • Singapore Airlines to launch Brussels in October 2020

    From 25 October 2020, SQ will start flying to BRU using A350-900.

    https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/s...-october-2020/
    Singapore Airlines - A great way to fly...

  • #2
    Singapore Airlines To Add Brussels To Route Network

    16 December 2019

    Brussels will become the latest European destination in Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) route network next year, when non-stop flights are introduced from Singapore to the Belgian capital. The first flight will be launched on 25 October 2020.
    Subject to regulatory approval, flight SQ304 will depart Singapore on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 2355hrs (local time). The return sector, operated as flight SQ303, will depart Brussels on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 1120hrs (local time). SIA will operate the Airbus A350-900 on these flights.

    “We are excited to launch services to Brussels – a city that is both an important economic and political hub in Europe. This also represents SIA’s commitment to constantly expand our network reach and provide our customers with a more seamless travel experience,” said SIA’s Senior Vice President Marketing Planning, Mr Tan Kai Ping.

    As the capital of Belgium, Brussels is home to the European Union (EU) and is also dubbed as the EU’s capital city. It is the most densely populated region in Belgium with the highest GDP per capita. The secretariat of the Benelux and headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are also located in the city. Its unique geographical location makes Brussels an ideal hub for rail, road and air traffic, earning the city the moniker "The Crossroads of Europe". The introduction of the new route allows SIA to enhance the Benelux’s connection to Singapore with non-stop flights from Amsterdam, Dusseldorf and Brussels.

    Tickets for the new Brussels flights will be made available for sale through various distribution channels from 17 December 2019 onwards.

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    • #3
      I guess this is a guarantee that SJB, SJC etc is coming.

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      • #4
        I wonder BRU has a big J class market? Isn't SN struggling?

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        • #5
          Probably not intra-Europe, but SQ having a flight to BRU might be able to tap into the Europe-ASEAN government traffic market.
          an infrastructure geek

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          • #6
            In the days of the 744 Megatop, SQ used to fly SIN-ZRH-BRU.

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            • #7
              I have done many flights to Brussels in the 90’s, when SQ launched the flight to New York JFK in July 1992, it was 6 times a week, 3 via FRA & 3 via BRU, while later BRU delinked from JFK, it was married up with Rome-FCO & ZRH.
              One flight I flown was SIN/FCO/BRU on a B744 9V-SMU (1000th 747).

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              • #8
                I believe there was a SIN-BRU-MAN service in the early 2000s. I remember boarding a BRU-SIN flight in 2002 and bumping into my childhood neighbor who was returning from MAN.

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                • #9
                  Might this be an alternative to growing at AMS, which is slot-restricted? Either way, great to see SQ growing capacity in Europe, to a new destination and in the face of ME3 competition.

                  What surprises me is that there's no buzz on SQ's social media channels. Route announcements and route launches are typically affairs that airlines like to trumpet, sometimes even teasing their next destination, letting followers play a little guessing game. You wouldn't have guessed that SQ just announced BRU from their official Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn accounts. Basically free publicity to raise awareness for a new destination in their network. But nope, all quiet.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by 259850 View Post
                    I believe there was a SIN-BRU-MAN service in the early 2000s. I remember boarding a BRU-SIN flight in 2002 and bumping into my childhood neighbor who was returning from MAN.

                    There was a SIN-CDG-BRU in the 90s as well. I believe I still have the economy menu from the flight.
                    My past and future travels

                    My Travel Map

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Jumbojet Lover View Post
                      Might this be an alternative to growing at AMS, which is slot-restricted? Either way, great to see SQ growing capacity in Europe, to a new destination and in the face of ME3 competition.

                      What surprises me is that there's no buzz on SQ's social media channels. Route announcements and route launches are typically affairs that airlines like to trumpet, sometimes even teasing their next destination, letting followers play a little guessing game. You wouldn't have guessed that SQ just announced BRU from their official Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn accounts. Basically free publicity to raise awareness for a new destination in their network. But nope, all quiet.
                      There are lots of bloggers n websites (one mile at a time etc etc) who are helping SQ to promote this route. No need SQ to do themselves
                      Many news agencies in Singapore are also reporting it.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Jumbojet Lover View Post
                        Might this be an alternative to growing at AMS, which is slot-restricted? Either way, great to see SQ growing capacity in Europe, to a new destination and in the face of ME3 competition.

                        What surprises me is that there's no buzz on SQ's social media channels. Route announcements and route launches are typically affairs that airlines like to trumpet, sometimes even teasing their next destination, letting followers play a little guessing game. You wouldn't have guessed that SQ just announced BRU from their official Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn accounts. Basically free publicity to raise awareness for a new destination in their network. But nope, all quiet.
                        Because it is only in October 2020? More effective to have the marketing campaign commence around March to April and that the slated aircraft are delivered?

                        But personally I still don't understand why Brussels. Perhaps to capture the EU-Asean-SG delegates?

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by ponders View Post
                          But personally I still don't understand why Brussels. Perhaps to capture the EU-Asean-SG delegates?
                          That was probably a consideration but I don’t think it’s fully reliant on that. The Canberra-Wellington flight was also targeted at government officials. However, apparently the officials would rather fly on their own national carrier and have to connect, rather than fly direct. So if SQ has learnt from their lessons, it shouldn’t be completely dependent on officials.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by ponders View Post
                            Because it is only in October 2020? More effective to have the marketing campaign commence around March to April and that the slated aircraft are delivered?

                            But personally I still don't understand why Brussels. Perhaps to capture the EU-Asean-SG delegates?
                            I seem to recall a big marketing blitz when SEA was launched, even though that was also 10 months away.

                            Maybe a non stop to US is something more worthy of being shouted from the rooftops?
                            an infrastructure geek

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by ponders View Post
                              Because it is only in October 2020? More effective to have the marketing campaign commence around March to April and that the slated aircraft are delivered?
                              Tickets are already on sale, there's no reason not to start marketing the flight with a launch on all media channels. March/April is too late a timeframe and SQ would lose out on passengers who would have booked their trips already. Some people book their trips many months out, as soon as tickets are on sale (11 months?).
                              For reference, the last new SQ long-haul route was announced on Nov 1, 2018, Singapore-Seattle, and SQ posted little graphic on @singaporeair:
                              https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpn0FeFgTEx/. Mind you SIN-SEA was only to begin flying 10 months later, Sep 3, 2019.

                              If SQ didn't have confidence that aircraft would be delivered on time, they would not have announced the route. For all you know SQ has contingencies to shuffle aircraft around their network just so the route would not be delayed in the event of delayed deliveries, barring a large scale aircraft grounding. As it is, SQ has some aircraft changes that will take effect at the beginning of the northern winter season (Oct 25 2020), including Singapore-Amsterdam being operated by the Boeing 777-300ER instead of the A350XWB. There are already some provisions to ensure that there is aircraft to operate the route.

                              Originally posted by ponders View Post
                              But personally I still don't understand why Brussels. Perhaps to capture the EU-Asean-SG delegates?
                              Maybe, but I doubt government traffic alone would be significant. It was probably driven by BENELUX-ASEAN/AUS/NZ tourism and maybe some gov traffic. Most likely, SQ has data which indicates that they have Belgium-originating passengers connecting at other stations such as AMS, DUS or MUC to fly SQ, and in sufficient numbers to add capacity. As I mentioned, SQ may have been restricted in adding capacity at AMS, hence the alternative was to open BRU. It helps as well that since SN Brussels Airlines is in Star Alliance, there would likely be a large base of loyal Star Alliance members in the area. SQ does need to contend with TG as the other long-haul Star option to South East Asia though, which made me doubt that SQ would open BRU. But hey I'm sure SQ has done their due diligence and has confidence that SIN-BRU would hold it's own against TG, CX, the ME3 etc.

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