Aegean Adds Brussels Link from Corfu

Greek carrier Aegean Airlines is to introduce a seasonal link to Brussels from Corfu during summer 2012 adding to its existing link to the Belgian capital from Athens and summer seasonal flight from Heraklion. The Star Alliance partner is to offer two weekly flights on the route between June 1, 2012 and September 30, 2012 using an Airbus A320, bringing its total weekly frequencies between Greece and Belgium to 18.

There is a growing demand between Greece and Belgium with O&D passenger traffic up 18.8 per cent in the past year. In the 12 months ending September 2011, an estimated 519,000 O&D passengers travelled between the two countries with Aegean Airlines holding an increasing share of this traffic, up from 16.4 per cent to 21.7 per cent during the period.

The largest operator between these two markets is Belgian carrier Jetairfly, a subsidiary of tour operator TUI Group. It has seen its share of the market also strengthen during the past year from 33.0 to 35.9 per cent. However, it is Irish budget carrier Ryanair that is the fastest expanding airline between Greece and Belgium; its new low-cost services enabling it to generate a 13.8 per cent share of the passenger traffic this past year.