Belgian flag carrier Brussels Airlines is putting 3 new Airbus A320neo aircraft into service. The aircraft will be operational by the summer of 2026. These, more modern aircraft, will replace two older craft. Brussels Airlines says the planes are up to half as quiet as their predecessors and emit up to 20 per cent less greenhouse gas CO2.
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Brussels Airlines revamps fleet with quieter and more fuel-efficient aircraft
Colin Clapson
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The arrival of the new aircraft means two older Airbus A319 aircraft will be taken out of service. These older aircraft are smaller and only have a maximum capacity of 156 passengers. The new A320neo aircraft can carry up to 194 passengers.
The replacement of the older aircraft should bring environmental and climate benefits, with CO2 reductions of up to 30 per cent per passenger, according to the carrier. But overall capacity too is being scaled up.
Brussels Airlines CEO Dorothea von Boxberg speaks of ‘a win-win-win’ that will make the airline more energy efficient, create new jobs, improve Belgium's connectivity and also make the flying experience more comfortable for crew and passengers.
Brussels Airlines already operates 5 A320neo aircraft among its total fleet of 46 aircraft. The first A320neo arrived in Brussels on 1 November.
Challenge or creating a younger fleet
Brussels Airlines, part of German carrier Lufthansa's group, faces a tough task to rejuvenate its fleet. The average Brussels Airlines plane is 16.7 years old. That is a third older than the fleet of the other Belgian airline TUIfly Belgium.
The older the aircraft, the more fuel they consume and thus the worse they are for the climate. This was confirmed only yesterday in a study by German NGO Atmosfair. It gives Brussels Airlines the F sustainability label, the second lowest.
According to Atmosfair, the greening of aviation has slowed since the pandemic. Fewer passengers meant smaller budgets and less demand for new aircraft, delaying rejuvenation.