It is a very poor gift that Brussels Airlines CEO Dorothea von Boxberg is offering to her successor Lorenza Maggio, a defugee from ITA Airways who will take the reins of the Belgian airline at the end of August: an austerity cure generated by an unfavourable international - and Belgian - geopolitical context.
In the first half of 2026, Brussels Airlines reported an adjusted operating loss of 70 million euros. Whilst its revenue did rise by 9.5 per cent in Q3, this growth was not sufficient to offset the rise in costs. In particular, fuel costs soared by €64 million year-on-year during the first six months of 2026.
Added to this were the consequences of strikes at certain service providers, geopolitical tensions, and disruptions linked to an Ebola outbreak in certain regions of East Africa. Traffic has suffered as a result on this very important Europe-Africa route. Within the Lufthansa Group's structure, Brussels Airlines effectively positions itself as The specialist airline for the African continent with 18 destinations. The Ebola crisis is only complicating Brussels Airlines' African operations and is putting the brakes on any short-term expansion.
In this context, Brussels Airlines is scaling back its ambitions accordingly. Gone are the expansion plans presented as recently as the beginning of the year, replaced by a severe austerity drive.
The latter begins with the decision not to integrate two Airbus A330-300s into the long-haul fleet in 2027. The Brussels Airlines fleet will therefore stagnate at 11 A330-300s, instead of increasing to 13 aircraft. However, it maintains that abandoning the two additional A330s will not alter its current network. The African network is thus secured in its current state, barring any political unforeseen circumstances…
Another important change: Brussels Airlines will stop using wet-lease aircraft from the summer of 2027. The four airBaltic Airbus A220-300s currently operated on its behalf will not return next season.
The airline now intends to favour its own capabilities. It currently operates eight A320neos and expects to have 13 by the end of 2028.
Despite the financial difficulties, Brussels Airlines is maintaining certain investments aimed at passengers. The modernisation of its A330s will continue with the introduction of new Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins in 2027. The rollout of high-speed Wi-Fi is also scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.
The Belgian national carrier will therefore have to juggle between the investments necessary for its appeal to passengers and its financial appeal to its shareholders, including the Lufthansa Group...
