CO's departure may be helping the case for a new feeder, and I'll be relieved if it is into FRA. The BRU route is (ahem) quaint, and I find myself endlessly in LHR heading east and into GSA (Germany, Switzerland, Austria).
My good-feeling would be tempered if it's going to be run with another BD EJ-145. The inventory is so tight, that fares on the BRU route are always uncomfortably high compared to AF/KL. If we get FRA/MUC etc. run on EJ-145, I can see it would probably be a premium option, worth it for long-hauls, but probably costly for short-haul within Europe.
Hello B_T
Good to read you're sticking to the CO 76 right until the last. My son, another aficionado, will be on the 76 a week or so before you with a group of about seven.
Since the bmiRegional 145s have taken over the SN route to BRU from the company's own ARJs the passenger numbers have increased significantly and look quite reasonable, so perhaps a 3 x daily 50-seater is better than a 2 x daily 80-seater in terms of yield especially if the fares are a bit tasty.
LH (Eurowings) carried nearly 100,000 in the year it operated the BRS-FRA until the end of April 2009 and I seem to remember much comment on PPRuNe and elsewhere during much of the route's existence concerning the very high fares often encountered.
So if the FRA route was re-started (I'm not sure how easily slots would be available) and the equipment was the BD ERJ-145 with BRU-like fares would that be a great deal different from the ticket prices the last time around?
I'm asking you because I know you have a great deal of experience travelling this and similar routes.
Incidentally, there is talk on another forum that bmi who operate ERJ-135s from LBA to BRU 'in their own name' will be expanding into Germany from the Yorkshire cities' airport, so maybe there is something afoot.