Plans to resurrect former charter specialist Air Belgium have been abandoned due to a lack of interest from potential airline investors. The carrier's former chief executive Johan Vanneste had led a management initiative to relaunch Air Belgium - closed down by UK owner Airtours - as a niche shorthaul airline serving Brussels, but met a lukewarm response from other carriers approached for backing.
Vanneste's business plan called for the wet lease of four or five 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jets to major airlines, but he says meetings with Sabena executive director Christoph Müller failed to secure a deal, and that other carriers preferred alternative options. Air Belgium would probably have been relaunched under a new name, Sobelair owning the branding.
Source: Flight International
