2023-09-20 13:47:00
“The company did not want its passengers to cross paths with those of Ryanair. It was therefore agreed to build a VIP lounge for Air Belgium passengers.”
Upon its arrival in 2018, Air Belgium was supposed to take the Walloon airport into another dimension: that of long-haul flights. With a certain standing. “The company did not want its passengers to cross paths with those of Ryanair,” explains a source close to the matter. It was therefore agreed to build a VIP lounge for Air Belgium passengers”. Built in a record time of four months, the modular building (“built in containers”) offered, over 300 m2, all the luxury found in the lounges of major airlines: comfortable armchairs in Air colors Belgium, televisions, toilets, libraries, catering area,… Cost of the operation? “Between 500 and 600,000 euros”, according to our source.
“We don’t yet know what we’re going to do with this building, but the intention is certainly not to let it rot.”
An amount that the boss of BSCA, (Brussels South Charleroi Airport) Philippe Verdonck does not confirm even if he considers that this show “cost a lot” and that the entire cost was covered by the airport . “It is a decision of the previous management. We do not yet know what we are going to do with this building, but the intention is certainly not to let it rot,” continues Mr. Verdonck. The latter confirms it: Charleroi’s project is to find one, or even several, replacements for Air Belgium to offer long-haul flights from the Walloon tarmac. “We are in discussions with several companies who have also been shown this show,” explains the boss. But we must be realistic, it will not be tomorrow that we will welcome a company offering intercontinental flights. Apart from a few air carriers like Ryanair or Wizz Air which are doing well, most companies are still healing their wounds from the Covid crisis.”
An extended runway for 42 million euros
In terms of infrastructure, Charleroi is in any case prepared. “The airport had to incur additional costs, particularly in terms of handling, to be able to take off Air Belgium’s long-haul planes,” says our source. “For example, you need a completely different “staircase” to get passengers into an Airbus A340 compared to the Boeing 737s that Ryanair uses.” The runway was also recently extended, from 2,600 to 3,200 meters, to be able to take off long-haul planes. Work carried out by the Walloon Airports Company (Sowaer) which cost 42 million euros. But contrary to what some have said in recent days, these costly developments were not carried out solely at the request of Air Belgium. “The project dates from before the birth of the Belgian company,” we are told. “In addition to the interest for possible future long-distance flights, this runway makes it possible to reduce noise pollution and pollution during takeoffs and landings of current aircraft,” insists Philippe Verdonck.
“Air Belgium had enormous demands on the airport. In return, the company had promised to bring rich Chinese who were going to rob the duty-free shops at the airport. We saw nothing of that.”
Air Belgium’s brief stay in Carolus lands leaves a bitter taste for quite a few players. “It was not a good deal for the airport which nevertheless did everything for the company,” insists this person close to the matter. The number of passengers brought by the company was low. Air Belgium had enormous demands on the airport. In return, the company had promised to bring rich Chinese who would rob the airport’s duty-free shops. We didn’t see any of that.”
Air Belgium had requested that a specific VIP lounge be built for its passengers at Charleroi airport. Five years later, it is abandoned. ©Air Belgium
The icing on the cake, according to this same source, the Walloon company refused to pay the parking costs for these planes on the Walloon tarmac. “No company has ever done this. Air Belgium has a slate of 30 to 40,000 euros for its parking costs at the airport”. Our interlocutor does not hesitate to speak of a “state scandal”. “This company was bailed out every year by the public authorities even though it was virtually bankrupt. I always thought of money laundering: the first Russian and Chinese shareholders (quickly left the capital of Air Belgium, Editor’s note) were also named in the Panama Papers scandal”.
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