Sabena is seeking to extend its policy of outsourcing loss-making routes to low-cost operators, with its Antwerp, Belgium, to London, UK, services expected to be taken over on 1 April by VLM.
The Antwerp-based regional already operates four daily return flights between Antwerp and London City Airport with its Fokker 50s, while Sabena serves London Heathrow Airport from Antwerp twice daily, using a de Havilland Dash 8-300 which is wet-leased from Schreiner Airways of the Netherlands.
While the Sabena route is losing money and has seen a continuous drop in traffic since the opening of Eurotunnel rail-link to Brussels, VLM has been more successful in defending itself against the high-speed train. Its London City route is used mainly by full-fare paying businessmen on day-return flights to the City of London.
Sabena is now negotiating a deal with VLM which would see it drop its Antwerp-London Heathrow service, and instead buy seats on the VLM flights to London City. The move would follow Sabena's similar agreement in 1996 for the Brussels-Heathrow service with Virgin Express. Sabena is now discussing with Virgin Express an extension to the agreement which could see the carrier taking over Sabena's services to Barcelona, Madrid and Paris.
Source: Flight International
