Brussels Airlines studies options for expansion as it reinforces winter staffing

Brussels Airlines is analysing a number of development paths to expand its fleet and staff base, as passenger demand returns and it looks to capitalise on its restructuring initiative. The carrier has been implementing a restructuring programme, known as ‘Reboot Plus’ and says it has achieved a “very strong and competitive” cost position. This involved slashing the workforce and cutting back its short- and medium-haul fleet, from 42 aircraft in pre-crisis 2019 to 30 in 2020. “With this cost position, that we must protect carefully, and the constructive collaboration with our social partners, we have the ability to move to the logical next step,” it says. The airline is “investigating different growth scenarios” to expand fleet and staff numbers, it says, and plans to unveil more details soon. In order to reinforce its resources over the winter season, it is aiming to hire additional external cabin crew and extend the contracts of 200 temporary flight attendants. Brussels Airlines is also seeking to recruit more pilots and is hiring maintenance and ground-operations personnel. The carrier says the season will be “unpredictable”, given the continuing uncertainty over re-emergence of Covid-19. “Corporate demand is still unstable and operational bottlenecks at airports and system partners will continue to put pressure on our operational stability,” it adds. It says the expansion of personnel is intended to address the potential winter issues. “This should increase the operational stability in the winter season while creating a more fair distribution of workload,” it states.<br/>