Herman de Wulf/BRUSSELS
SWISSAIR AND BELGIAN Sabena World Airlines are to launch a joint sales operation and offer shuttle services linking Brussels with Zurich and Geneva in 1996. Code sharing is also to be introduced on long-haul flights to the Middle East, Far East and South America.
The initiatives form the latest developments in the formal collaboration between the two airlines, signed in July, in which Swissair took a 49% stake in the Belgian flag carrier.
Known as the "Statthalter" or governor principle, this stage of the agreement cements code sharing of joint flights, harmonisation of fleets and the sharing of computer reservation systems.
According to Alain Bandle of Swissair and vice-president of the Swissair/Sabena joint project, the Statthalter is based on "...reciprocal representation - each carrier looks after the other's sales interest in its home market and at certain joint destinations outside these countries.
"The principle means that Swissair is looking after Sabena's ticket-office activities, sales and ground services in Switzerland, while Sabena is doing the same for Swissair in Belgium."
The Zurich-Brussels shuttle will be operated by Swissair on behalf of the partners, beginning at the end of March and using Airbus A320s, although smaller A319s will be used, as soon as they are delivered. The number of flights will be increased to seven a day. Sabena will be providing a Geneva-Brussels service with its Boeing 737s, also seven times a day.
On the long-haul routes, code sharing will be introduced on flights to Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Dubai and Beirut "...as soon as the authorities agree", says Bandle.
Fleet harmonisation has begun, with Sabena acquiring 23 Avro RJ85 regional jets, which will be operated by its DAT subsidiary. Swissair subsidiary Crossair, which already operates nine RJs, will be responsible for maintenance of the engines of all aircraft in the group, while overhaul will be the responsibility of DAT.
According to Bernadette Franzi, Sabena executive vice-president commercial, "...maintenance and spare parts and inventory will offer possibilities to reduce cost as a single system will be introduced for both airlines".
Sabena is also scheduled to join Swissair's Passenger Automated Reservation System in May 1996. Finally, both airlines are looking into the possibility of starting a joint full-freight service from Zurich to Chicago by April 1996".
Source: Flight International
