Herman De Wulf/BRUSSELS
Virgin Express is launching scheduled services between Brussels and London Heathrow, in a code-share deal with Sabena under which it will replace the Belgian flag carrier on the route.
The low-cost Brussels-based airline launched services on 27 October with nine daily return flights and a promotional one-way fare of BFr1 999 ($66). Virgin Express will operate the route with Boeing 737s painted in its own colours. Sabena now flies the route with 737s.
Sabena has confirmed the link-up, saying that it will buy seating capacity on Virgin Express aircraft, with its passengers travelling in a seperate business-class cabin. Sabena will take care of the low-cost carrier's catering, ground handling and maintenance.
The outsourcing of the Brussels-Heathrow route will net a cost saving for Sabena, but will face opposition from Belgian pilots' union ABPNL, which went on strike in 1995 in protest at the policy to pay employees with subsidiary Delta Air Transport some 35% less than Sabena personnel. Sabena flight-crews will probably insist that Virgin Express Boeing 737 pilots be paid the same salaries as those working for Sabena when flying on the Belgian carrier's routes. Sabena had discussed the possibility of franchising its Antwerp-London Heathrow service to VLM, but talks ended after it refused to adopt Sabena's livery.
The Brussels-London route is highly competitive and is now served by Sabena (Heathrow and London City), British Airways (Heathrow and Gatwick), British Midland (Heathrow) and Air UK (Stansted).
When Virgin Express was launched earlier this year, after Richard Branson's take-over of EuroBelgian Airlines, it had outlined London services as a long-term goal, but was wary of launching services early because of cost and competition.
Source: Flight International
