On December 12, 2023, Brussels Airlines put its first Airbus A320neo into service, starting with a flight from Brussels to Vienna. It was not only the airline’s first flight using the type but also its first flight using a...
On December 12, 2023, Brussels Airlines put its first Airbus A320neo into service, starting with a flight from Brussels to Vienna. It was not only the airline’s first flight using the type but also its first flight using a brand-new aircraft received straight from the manufacturer.
Continue reading to learn more about the flight and Brussels Airlines’ A320neos.
Brussels Airlines’ first A320neo. (Credit: Airbus)
Brussels Airlines Will Receive Five Airbus A320neos
Back in 2001, Brussels Airlines announced that its parent Lufthansa Group allocated three of the Airbus A320neos it had on order to the airline. That number was later expanded to five airframes, all meant to replace the oldest of Brussels Airlines’ dozen-plus Airbus A319s.
The first of those, registered OO-SBA, flew from Toulouse to Brussels on November 1, 2023. It was not only the first A320neo to join the airline’s fleet but also the first brand-new airframe delivered to Brussels Airlines. That’s because the rest of its fleet are aircraft transferred to the airline from its predecessor, SN Brussels Airlines.
The A320neo joined Brussels Airlines’ all-Airbus fleet consisting of narrowbody A319s and A320-200s, and widebody A330-300s.
Two more A320neos should be delivered to Brussels Airlines in 2023 (although I am not sure if that will actually be the case given that its already mid-December and only one has been delivered) and the remaining two in 2024.
Brussels Airlines’ first A320neo, like all the others that will follow, is equipped with 180 seats in a 3-3 layout. These serve both as economy class seats, as well as “European-style” business class seats (i.e. economy class with the middle seat blocked).
In addition to Airbus narrowbodies, Brussels Airlines also operates the A330-300.
Brussels Airlines First Airbus A320neo Enters into Service
The first revenue flight of Brussels Airlines’ new Airbus A320neo took place on December 12, 2023, afternoon, flying from Brussels to Vienna as flight SN2905 (the airline uses the same two-letter code its predecessor used). Later that evening, the aircraft flew back to its home base as SN2906.
The aircraft is scheduled to operate a rotation to Oslo today (December 13, 2023), Copenhagen tomorrow, and Vienna the day after tomorrow. In other words, for the time being, it appears that the A320neo is used rather randomly on select flights normally operated by the A319 or A320-200.
Over time, as Brussels Airlines receives more A320neos, chances are the routes it will be appearing on will be more regular.
OO-SBA at Brussels Airport. (Credit: Brussels Airlines)
Summary
Brussels Airlines is the latest member of the Lufthansa Group to have put the Airbus A320neo into service. The airline first used the aircraft, its first one delivered straight from a manufacturer, on a Brussels – Vienna flight on December 12, 2023. The aircraft is also scheduled to make an appearance on its flights to Copenhagen and Oslo over the next couple of days.
By the end of 2024, Brussels Airlines will receive four more A320neos. The aircraft are joining its fleet to replace some of its aging A319s.
The post Brussels Airlines’ First A320neo Enters into Service, Flies to Vienna and Back appeared first on KN Aviation.