Herman De Wulf/BRUSSELS
Sabena has made reducing capacity the number one priority in its new business plan which is likely to see its remaining A320 orders cancelled and the introduction of a fleet of small regional jets.
The financially troubled Belgian airline's president Christophe Müller is preparing to complete the new fleet plan for the end of April. "We have overcapacity on certain routes," says Müller. "We'd like to operate smaller aircraft but also maintain or even increase our frequencies."
The 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145, which is already operated by SAirGroup partner Crossair, has been identified as the aircraft to replace part of Sabena's BAe 146/Avro RJ fleet, which are expensive to operate and will be sold. Sabena is also in talks with Airbus on cancelling the 14 A320 family aircraft on order. Twenty of the 34 single-aisle Airbuses ordered in 1999 to replace and expand the airline's Boeing 737 fleet have been delivered, but Sabena says it has no need for any more of the twinjets, and intends to retain the 15 737-300/400/500s it operates.
It has not been decided who will operate the new Embraers. Previously, Sabena's wholly owned division Delta Air Transport (DAT), has been responsible for operating the airline's regional operation. However, Müller has received a proposal from former Air Belgium boss Johan Vanneste to restart the defunct charter airline as a Sabena low cost subsidiary to operate the ERJs. Sources within Sabena suggest that the creation of a low cost subsidiary could upset the unions, particularly the Belgian Cockpit Association (BeCA) which represents the pilots.
Source: Flight International
