BRU-CDG at risk?

[fets]

An unofficial version of the new Belgian railways timetable is online at RailTime, and it lists a Thalys train from Paris arriving at BRU airport at 08:14 and leaving at 09:49. This seems to be pretty well suited to connect with the early morning long-haul flights.

Are the two daily flights to CDG at risk because of this?

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Interesting post indeed...
What are the main points in using wheter Thalys or SN planes on this (mainly) connecting PAX use route?

[Stij]

Interesting post indeed...
What are the main points in using wheter Thalys or SN planes on this (mainly) connecting PAX use route?

It all depends on how they organise stuff:

If they organise as Air France does it in Brussels-South (you get your borading passes, but you have to carry your luggage and queue again in CDG, it doesn't work.

If they could organise check-in and bagage drop in Paris-Nord, it would a great idea!

Cheers,

Stij

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Thanks for contributing!
It seems SN already operated the BRU-PAR leg together with Thalys but came back on planes operations after some months... Can someone give information on past/present/future ops on the PAR-BRU route please?
...
Btw, I can remember the huge amount of BRU-CDG and even BRU-ORY flight @ the Sabena times (during the short AF-SN agreement...)!

[acba]

Actually, I noticed this already some time ago in the "algemene voorwaarden" of NMBS Europe. It stated:

Thalys:
Nieuwe tarieven: "Thalys Air SN" en "Thalys Air 9W (Jet Airways)" voor reizen vanaf 30/10/2011 (verkoop vanaf 01/08/2011 uitsluitend door de reisbureaus).

(http://alg-voorw.b-rail.be/insite_nl_te ... e_temp.php)

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Hmmm... it seems that it becomes serious... Does that mean that we won't see anymore brussels airlines planes @ CDG in a near future?

[tolipanebas]

The only reason SN operates twice daily to CDG in the morning is to feed their long haul flights to AFI, with the first outbound and the last inbound as good as a positioning flight actually. As such it must cost them a fortune to run this route and it is well known SN would like to dispose of it as soon as they can, especially as they want to reduce the 737 fleet next winter, which is often used to run this route. Getting rid of CDG would immediately free half a 737, and thus mean a significant leasing cost saving!

In the past, they have experimented with a once daily train link from Paris-Nord to BRU before, yet they've failed at it because it was deemed not flexible enough and too much of a hastle for the pax really: let's see what kind of a transfer product they'll come up with this time. I agree pax should not be left to handle their luggage during the transit in BRU for instance, otherwise it is going to be hugely impossible indeed, given the huge volumes those pax carry with them...

Now, get that Diabolo project finished, so we can finally have a rail link between BRU, Antwerp, Rotterdam and AMS too, please! It's something long overdue and it would be very welcome to SN in order to position BRU as the STAR hub of the low countries and Northern France.

[sn26567]

Are you sure that bringing a heavy Thalys train from Brussels-Midi/Zuid to Brussels Airport at least twice a day (for the two waves to Africa) will not be more expensive than to fly twice a 737 to CDG?

The previous experience was a disaster, apprently, otherwise it would not have been fropped after only a few months.

[tolipanebas]

Are you sure that bringing a heavy Thalys train from Brussels-Midi/Zuid to Brussels Airport at least twice a day (for the two waves to Africa) will not be more expensive than to fly twice a 737 to CDG?

I admit don't have an idea how much it costs to charter a Thalys train which already runs between ZYR and CDG in order to have it come from ZYR to BRU and back, but I can tell you that the monthly lease of half a Boeing needed for the twice daily BRU-CDG flights plus the operating costs of such a route is something which wipes away several millions of euro annually, easily! That's a lot of money for a short haul feeder route on which not a single pax is actually paxing anything at all for his flight...

Somehow, I have a feeling it doesn't cost that much for a Thalys train come the 15km from ZYR to BRU...

[Wim fan]

If I'm not mistaken, there is not a single Thalys running between ZYR and CDG.
There is however a TGV running between ZYR and CDG.

Is it SN's intention to run the Thalys between Paris Gare du Nord and BRU or between CDG and BRU?

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Still... that's a bit strange as the 2 BRU-CDG flights are still loaded on the SN website for this winter season... so what's the deal?

[tolipanebas]

If I'm not mistaken, there is not a single Thalys running between ZYR and CDG.

Yes of course, my mistake. I ment to say Paris-Nord of course: there's no reason why the high speed train from BRU would have to go to CDG from SN's point-of-view.

[fets]

A further look at the timetable (thx acba for the hint) shows that this service actually begins on 30/10, so it starts with IATA winter schedule. One part of the Thalys actually continues to Amsterdam, the 2nd part will go to BRU.

[brusselsairlinesfan]

So can someone confirm that as from the begining of the winter schedules, all SN services between BRU & CDG will be transfered from air(planes) to Thalys?

[diminbru]

Brussels Airport also shows up at the network display on their website :
http://www.thalys.com/ (with a dotted line though...)

tried to check out the schedule but from 30 October isn't published yet

[Stij]

Brussels Airport also shows up at the network display on their website :
http://www.thalys.com/ (with a dotted line though...)

Dotted line means connection... afaik...

Cheers,

Stij

[brusselsairlinesfan]

As soon as I read this news, I just told to myself that I should make a few pics of SN activities in CDG.
So I am just back from the airport whan I saw the 2nd morning flight supported by a brussels arlines 737-400... will it belong to the pas as from winter schedule?

[sn26567]

Will it belong to the past as from winter schedule?

Go to the SN booking engine on their website, and you will see that it is stil possible to book the two existing flights after 30 October.

[diminbru]

Will it belong to the past as from winter schedule?

Go to the SN booking engine on their website, and you will see that it is stil possible to book the two existing flights after 30 October.

yes but if you check the time schedule on RailTime's website, you can find out that there will be a connection between Paris Nord and Bru without having to change trains...and this from Oct 30th onward.

[brusselsairlinesfan]

Will it belong to the past as from winter schedule?

Go to the SN booking engine on their website, and you will see that it is stil possible to book the two existing flights after 30 October.

yes but if you check the time schedule on RailTime's website, you can find out that there will be a connection between Paris Nord and Bru without having to change trains...and this from Oct 30th onward.

That's clearly the point... And I have doubts on the possibility of choosing either the train or the plane on this BRU-CDG leg with SN...