Curtain falls on Air Belgium: no more passenger flights

What was first feared is now confirmed: the only take-over bid for Air Belgium only concerns the cargo operations. In other words, passenger operations will disappear. The ailing airline will know on December 5th whether the sale proposal receives court approval. But it looks like an end to Air Belgium anyway.

Candidate is a European company

According to Air Belgium, the only proposal from a prospective buyer is a “concrete and serious offer” by “a group meeting the conditions imposed by the EU.”

According to the French-language news portal L-Post, which had access to an internal email, this would be a European company active in the cargo sector with a large fleet.

That prospective buyer only wants to take over Air Belgium’s entire cargo arm. The passenger operations are outside the bid and will, therefore, disappear.

“By taking over the cargo activities, the candidate acquirer ensures the preservation of part of Air Belgium’s employment: the jobs of administrative, operational and ground staff, and pilots would be preserved regardless of the type of contract,” Air Belgium said. Cabin crew, used only on passenger flights, are excluded from the take-over proposal.

Four aircraft operating for cargo

The bid analyzed by a receiver has now been handed over to the Nivelles company court, which will rule on it on Thursday, December 5th. Air Belgium, which today has 400 to 500 employees, hopes for approval, but it looks like the books are finally closing for the company of aviation veteran Niky Terzakis.

As of August this year, Air Belgium had four aircraft operating for cargo services: two Airbus A330-200 and two Boeing 747-8F, all of which were deployed for Chinese logistic firm Hongyuan Group. That company, Air Belgium’s largest shareholder with 49.95%, had also ordered 11 converted B77-300 aircraft from Israel Aerospace Industries, which were due to be delivered to the Belgian airline company in the third quarter of 2024.