BRUSSELS AIRLINES ACHIEVES RECORD PROFIT AND CREATES ADDITIONAL JOBS

In 2015, Brussels Airlines had a prosperous year. 2015 finished with a net profit of 41.3 million euros due to the commercial performance, the effective market repositioning, and continued cost control. According to CEO Bernard Gustin, "Our efforts to make Brussels Airlines an appealing, vibrant, and competitive airline have paid off in the past year."

One of the airlines in Europe rising the fastest is Brussels Airlines, which has seen a 13% growth in passengers. The airline had a 3.4 percentage point rise in seat load factor. Strong financial performance have been aided by this expansion, which is a result of the expanding flight schedule and Brussels Airlines' repositioning as a competitive airline that offers service in addition to affordable tickets.

The revenue of Brussels Airlines increased by 6.9% to 1.274 billion euros. Following a break-even year in 2014, the increased turnover and strong cost-cutting in 2015 produced an operating profit of 43.1 million euros and a net profit of 41.3 million euros. In 2015, the European network as well as the flights to Africa and across the Atlantic were profitable.

Although the outcomes have benefited from the reduced cost of fuel, it would be incorrect to believe that this is the most significant aspect. The positive impact of the fuel price has been lessened by other external cost factors including the strong dollar and rising air traffic control levies. The temporary shutdown in Brussels at the end of last year as well as the shaky Russian market environment also had a detrimental effect. At the same time, Brussels Airlines reduced the cost of its tickets by an additional 10% on average.

Our findings demonstrate that Brussels Airlines is effectively developing into a cutting-edge, reliable airline that accepts more passengers each month. I'm really appreciative of our staff's commitment, which helped us achieve this outcome, says Bernard Gustin.

In 2015, Brussels Airlines dramatically improved both its market position and network. Last year, two new aircraft were added to the fleet, 14 new destinations were introduced, and 668,000 more seats were added to the offer. In order to satisfy the need of consumers travelling in Europe, the new loyalty programme "LOOP" was also introduced in 2015 and has already enrolled more than 50,000 members.

Bernard Gustin says, "The market responds well to our marketing strategy and we are on the right route. "However, we can't stop here. In truth, we need to boost Brussels Airlines' appeal and competitiveness in the extremely difficult market of today. These continue to be our top priorities: further lowering our expenses and raising our profits, improving our ability to respond to changes in the market, continuing to make investments for our clients, and providing alluring travel options.

The financial results of 2015 provide the framework for Brussels Airlines' growth strategy going forward in 2016. Beginning at the end of next week, the airline will introduce 9 new destinations for the summer. By the end of next week, a ninth Airbus A330 will join the fleet's rapidly expanding long-haul capacity, and a tenth A330 is planned for the end of 2016 and the start of 2017. Additionally, the European fleet is growing by two aircraft, and four Avros are being replaced with larger Airbus models. The seat offer rises by 7% as a result.

More jobs are created as a result of the expansion. In Belgium, 240 more jobs will be added overall this year. According to Bernard Gustin, "We are more important than ever a vital economic player for our country who connects Belgium to the rest of the globe better than before and provides employment."