Far behind the "behemoth" Brussels Airlines, the private carrier Air Belgium was nonetheless a major player in Belgian air transport.
The airline, based for holiday flights at Brussels South-Charleroi, was launched in 2016. But from the outset, its expansion was affected by external factors that weakened the carrier. The Covid crisis, the war in UkraineSoaring oil prices and inflation have all been challenges for the young carrier.
At the end of 2019, Air Belgium launched from Charleroi two weekly flights to Fort-de-France and Pointe-à-Pitre which she was never able to resume after the Covid crisis. In her final summer schedule, the airline offered flights from Brussels National to Mauritius, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Air Belgium operated on its passenger routes a fleet of Airbus A330-200s or -900sincluding a business class. And full economy class on its two Airbus A330-900s.
The company has therefore decided to cease its passenger operations, which have been highly loss-making. It is now concentrating on freight and leasing aircraft to third-party airlines...
