Can Sabena be revived as a cargo carrier?
 

Belgium seems to be a hub for cargo airlines, Brussels host more cargo carriers from Asia then passenger airlines, almost all are 747s, Liege and Ostend get their share of big and small Asian and African cargo subsidiary's, so there must be demand for a Belgian all cargo airline and it would be terrific if Sabena could be revived to fill that void, is it possible? they say if you think it, it can be;)

I think you will find eat/dhl are doing a good job in brussels at that! :ok: Dont think the noise lobbiest would be to happy with another large neight freight operator at brussels.

I had it in my mind that a whole bunch of the DHL and TNT aircraft were already on the Belgian register?

What makes you think that a new SABENA would be any more successful at moving freight than they were at moving passengers?

Perhaps the idea was to take over DHL and TNT.

The only sad thing about Sabenas demise was that it took so long.

most of the training staff in EAT are ex Sabena already.
my be they are doing it already through the back door.

Passenger people can't become freight people just because they can fly and operate aeroplanes. Different breed you know.

Actually I thought out of nostalgic feelings just the brand name 'SABENA' could be relaunched as an all cargo company having nothing to do with the former Sabena, something like Pan Am 2 & 3 have done.

If I was a millionaire in Belgium I would have tried my best to revive the brand as a cargo airline even if operations would be small scale with the smallest freighter aircraft available, and then build on that.

Newscaster,

A nice thought & I think I know where you're coming from however... (rain on parade time!)

If you look at the main cargo operators in BRU (excluding the integrators) you would have serious problems trying to pick up their markets -

Saudi - can't go there without paying royalties therefore you can't better, or even match, their rates;
Air HK - everybody & their brother does HKG, CV, LH, BA etc, etc. Not much chance there;
Asiana, Singapore et all - see comments above;
Forget about Africa, too many cheap operators down there to get any good revenue.

Even if you get around those problems, you've always got the likes of MNG ready to undercut everybody 'cos thy've got lower DOC ex Turkey.

I could go on but I fear that your millons would not last that long. Don't forget the old adage 'How to become a millionaire in aviation - start as a billionaire and..........'

Nice dream!

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing but I simply cannot see how you could re-launch an airline called SABENA "that has nothing to do with the old SABENA".

Belgium is not an enormous country and I'm sure that a lot of the tax payers there have longer memories than you credit them with.

SABENA crews have a long and glorious history but the economics never worked out. This thread is not called Freight Dogs for nothing!

Weren't very sucessful at running an airline so why should they be any better with a freight outfit. And there is always the possibility of the staff going on strike. Great for creating profits!!!!!!!!
DHL and TNT already have very good operations.

Oh yes, you could start a cargo company called Sabena. No problem there.

How long would it last? is the question. What with the pilots going on strike at the drop of a hat. Some would probably be striking and not really knowing why, again.

OK Doublew... you've been found out...your last message posted 02:09...
Please write out in triplicate why as a freight dog you were Ppruning at a time when all good FD's should be flying...

Q
Is it true that only vampires fly freight..

The only sad thing about Sabenas demise was that it took so long.

Thanks for the thousands of employees jobless. Sabena was a lost case with no future indeed but still I think you can show minimum respect for those who've lost their jobs.

Cheers