Brussels Airlines has nine A330-300s, averaging 15.1 years. The carrier's only widebody type, they are mainly used to sub-Saharan Africa, which covers everywhere in the vast continent except the north. This summer, OAG data shows that Brussels Airlines is the third-largest airline in this market from Europe, surpassed only by Turkish Airlines and Air France.
Serves 17 sub-Saharan destinations
Analysis of the carrier's A330 schedule reveals 17 destinations in this region from Brussels this summer. Obviously, its network is generally focused on the French language and former colonies. For example, it is the only European carrier to serve Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, a Belgian colony until the 1960s.
For most African cities, transit traffic over Brussels is vital, especially to France – no surprise! Freight is also crucial, so long-haul narrowbodies will probably never be used.
There are multiple exceptions to the French language and/or colony comment. These include Accra (Ghana), which booking data shows is predictably mainly about the UK and Germany due to strong diaspora. Among others, there is Entebbe (Uganda), which primarily concerns the UK; Monrovia (Liberia) the US; and Freetown (Sierra Leone) the UK and the US.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.
Where its A330s fly in July
The entire network of Brussels Airlines' A330s in the first week of July is shown below:
- Daily:Abidjan, Dakar, Douala, Entebbe, Kinshasa, New York JFK, Yaoundé
- Six weekly: Accra, Lomé
- Five weekly: Kigali, Washington Dulles
- Four weekly: Banjul, Freetown, Monrovia, Cotonou
- Three weekly: Conakry, Ouagadougou
- Twice-weekly: Bujumbura, Luanda
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The figure below shows how well-coordinated its Brussels hub is for A330 arrivals and departures. In this July week, JFK and Dulles depart at 10:35 and 10:45 and arrive back at 07:40 and 07:50. Those to Africa leave 10:20-12:15 and return from 05:00-06:45.
Image: OAG.
One stops are vital to Africa
Like most carriers serving sub-Saharan Africa, one-stop routes are crucial to Brussels Airlines. They enable smaller African cities to be served while increasing frequencies, connectivity, and competitiveness. While somewhat hard to read, the following map shows its multiple routings:
Image: GCMap.
Part of it is because of the carrier's sole use of 295-seat A330s. This contrasts with other operators, notably Turkish Airlines, which uses many narrowbodies. Of course, Brussels Airlines' exclusive use of widebodies helps with freight, often crucial for its African services.
Click here for Brussels-Abidjan flights.
Brussels Airlines' Africa one-stops
Its complex African operations are summarized below in order of frequency. There are 'terminator' services (returning the reverse way) and 'triangular' services. It tends not to carry passengers on a fifth-freedom basis in Africa. Notice the three ways that it serves Abidjan:
- Daily: Brussels-Douala-Yaoundé-Brussels
- Six weekly: Brussels-Accra-Lomé and back the reverse way
- Five weekly: Brussels-Kigali-Entebbe-Brussels
- Five weekly: Brussels-Kinshasa and back the reverse way
- Four weekly: Brussels-Dakar-Banjul and back the reverse way
- Four weekly: Brussels-Freetown-Monrovia-Brussels
- Three weekly: Brussels-Ouagadougou-Abijdan and back the reverse way
- Three weekly: Brussels-Dakar-Conakry and back the reverse way
- Twice-weekly: Brussels-Abidjan-Cotonou-Brussels
- Twice-weekly: Brussels-Bujumbura-Entebbe-Brussels
- Twice-weekly: Brussels-Cotonou-Abidjan-Brussels
- Twice-weekly: Brussels-Luanda-Kinshasa-Brussels
Will you be flying its A330s this summer? If so, let us know where by commenting.
