2019, a challenging year for Brussels Airlines marked by a new strategic direction and the roll-out of the turnaround plan “Reboot”

  • Decision on a closer embedding of Brussels Airlines in the Lufthansa Group Network Airlines.
  • Roll-out of the turnaround plan “Reboot” targeting an 8% EBIT margin as of 2022.
  • Strategic investments in the carrier’s long-haul fleet and long-haul cabin.
  • Headwinds like the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook Belgium, severely impacted the airline’s financial results.
  • Adjusted EBIT of -25.9 million euros and net result of -40.6 million euros (IFRS standard)
  • 1.6 billion euros revenue and 1.7% passenger growth.
  • Spread of the coronavirus and associated flight bans force Brussels Airlines to temporarily suspend all its flights.

Within an extremely challenging environment, Brussels Airlines closes the financial year 2019 with a loss of 40.6 million euros and an adjusted EBIT of -25.9 million euros (IFRS standard). The Belgian airline registered a passenger growth of 1.7%, reaching a total number of passengers of 10.2 million. The average seat load factor in 2019 was just above 81% (+0.52 P.p. compared to 2018), while the number of operated flights remained stable compared to the previous year (+0.1%).

Brussels Airlines’ financial results were largely influenced by the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook Belgium in September last year, as well as ATC strikes in Belgium and abroad, resulting in a negative impact of more than 12 million euros on the airline’s bottom line. Next to that, high fuel costs put an additional burden on the company’s financial results of 14 million euros.

 

2019 strategic milestones.

To further harmonize its fleet and lower its CO2 footprint, Brussels Airlines, with the help of the Lufthansa group, invested 140 million euros in new long-haul aircraft and long-haul cabins.

At the level of its positioning within the Lufthansa Group, the airline left the Eurowings Group to closer embed in the Lufthansa Group Network Airlines. In parallel, Brussels Airlines started the roll-out of its turnaround program “Reboot” that targets an EBIT margin of 8% as of 2022 by reducing overall costs, reviewing processes to increase efficiency and by redesigning its network.   

 

Reboot - Reach a structurally sustainable future for the company as of 2022.

Within a very competitive market environment and after many years of growth but insufficient profitability, Brussels Airlines decided last year to reorient itself and to start the roll-out of its turnaround plan called Reboot.

“The name Reboot has not been chosen at random. It’s not just another cost cutting program, but a thoroughly thought-through turnaround plan that next to working on the overall cost structure, also focuses on radically simplifying our way of working, a leaner organization and a redesigned network. We have set ourselves an ambitious, but realistic target of a structural profitability as of 2022 and this to be able to fuel our future.”

- Dieter Vranckx, CEO of Brussels Airlines -

A dedicated Reboot team is working on more than 100 projects that tackle topics such as productivity, efficiency increase, cost optimization, network review and embedding in the Lufthansa Group Network Airlines.

 

Coronavirus - Consequences of the worldwide spread  

The spread of the coronavirus and associated flight bans as well as other measures restricting air traffic, imposed by many countries around the world, have severely and negatively impacted Brussels Airlines’ flight schedules and forced the airline to announce the temporary suspension of its scheduled flight operations for four weeks as of 21 March 2020.

The Belgian carrier keeps however a minimal flight capacity available for repatriation flights, on request of the Belgian government.

“We have seen many crises in our company’s history, but the present Coronavirus crisis has a never seen before impact on Brussels Airlines. Not only in terms of cancellations and incoming bookings, but also the no-show rate rapidly accelerated, reaching more than 30% for Europe and North-Atlantic. Next to that, due to the many travel restrictions, we were obliged to continuously adapt our offer, making it unfortunately very difficult for us to offer our guests the service they are used to, despite the exemplary support and continuous care by our employees for our guests.“

- Dieter Vranckx, CEO of Brussels Airlines -

 

Coronavirus - Economic Measures to reduce the negative financial impact

As a responsible employer, Brussels Airlines has taken rapid measures to reduce the negative financial impact on the company. Next to implementing for the entire airline a 30% temporary technical unemployment regime between 16 March and 20 March, Brussels Airlines decided to expand this measure, in line with the temporary suspension of all its flights, to 100%. Some exceptions to the full temporary unemployment will be made to cover the repatriation flights and to organize the restart of the operations.

The Management Board of Brussels Airlines has together with the Extended Management Board decided to reduce its salary for the upcoming six months by respectively 20% and 15%.

“Exceptional circumstances, unfortunately require exceptional measures. It’s our duty to act as a responsible company and reduce the financial impact on our airline to a maximum extend in order to exit this crisis in the best way possible.” 

 - Dieter Vranckx, CEO of Brussels Airlines -

 

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About Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines is the home carrier of Belgium and one of the four network airlines of the Lufthansa Group. It connects the European capital from Brussels Airport with over 90 destinations, 18 of which are in Sub Saharan Africa. The company employs more than 3,500 people and operates 44 aircraft.

Brussels Airlines aims to emit 50% less CO2 by 2030 compared to 2019 and plans to be carbon neutral by 2050. The airline is participating in the Stargate Project led by Brussels Airport and is therefore part of the testing ground for sustainable aviation at its home base. In addition, the airline signed the Circular Economy agreement of the Antwerp Management School in 2021. The airline was the first to transport Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) through the CEPS-pipeline connecting Brussels Airport early 2023. By end 2024, Brussels Airlines will have welcomed five state-of-the-art Airbus A320neo allowing the airline to significantly lower its CO2- and noise-emissions on its medium-haul network.

As an ambassador of its country, Brussels Airlines brings the world to Belgium and the best of Belgium to the world, among others through collaborations with Belgian Star Chefs, Belgian culinary products and the Belgian Icons, specially painted aircraft that honour a Belgian iconic person, team or event to promote Belgian culture worldwide.

More information on brusselsairlines.com 


About Star Alliance

Established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, the Star Alliance network was founded on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service. Since its inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a strong emphasis on enhancing the customer experience throughout the entire Alliance journey.

Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 17,500 daily flights to over 1,150 airports in almost 190 countries.

Star Alliance Press Office: +65 8729 6691; mediarelations@staralliance.com
More information on staralliance.com

Contact

b.house Zone General Aviation - Airport Building 26 1831 Diegem

+32 2 723 89 90

press@brusselsairlines.com

www.brusselsairlines.com