Charleroi, June 6 2018 – Air Belgium celebrates the launch of its first flight connection between Brussels Charleroi and Hong Kong. The airline company also used the launch to introduce its new business lounge, which is located close to the plane.
Long-awaited take-off of the first direct flight to Asia of a Belgian airline company
The ceremony in Brussels Charleroi was attended by representatives from the political and economic world, including various ministers and authorities. Air Belgium’s and Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA) executives were also present at the ceremony.
Eric Bauche, Chairman of the Board of Directors: “We’re very proud to launch this very first commercial flight connection between Brussels South Charleroi Airport and Asia. Both our own and BSCA’s people have worked on this project for two years. Hong Kong is only the first stop in our Chinese adventure and we’ll soon be announcing new destinations. We’d like to thank the authorities, the federal and regional governments and all our partners for their unwavering support.”
Laurent Lévêque, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BSCA: “The arrival of Air Belgium at our airport illustrates our desire to keep moving forward. The fact that we’re now able to offer long-haul and intercontinental flights, is a new milestone for our airport. The investments we’ve made, such as extending the runway and improving the infrastructure in which we welcome our passengers, have contributed to that milestone. We’ve proven that dreams can lead to exciting realities.”
Belgitude, comfort and Belgian products
For its three travel classes (economy, premium and business), Air Belgium offers a varied cuisine with a wide selection of classic dishes, complemented with Belgian products like beers, wines, cheeses, sweets and coffee. This way, even foreign passengers can get a little taste of Belgium.
Air Belgium feels very strongly about comfort, simplicity of usage and hospitality. That’s why a dedicated business lounge was created for business and premium passengers. They are able to enjoy a variety of services in a quiet, private environment and can easily board the plane directly from the lounge.
Hong Kong: first destination and a surprising city
Air Belgium selected Hong Kong as its first destination for a reason. The city is the most important hub in south-east Asia. Hong Kong stands for dynamism, contrast, enthusiasm, elegance and its gentle, Asian way of living. It’s also an important international financial hub and the business heart of Asia. Each day, thousands of business people and tourists make their way to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong, also known as the ‘City’ or the ‘Little New York’ of Asia, offers many must-sees, such as the view of the bay from Victoria Peak, the Kowloon walkway, the Chinese district Sheung Wan and the fishing village Tai O.
The city is an important Asian hub. From Honk Kong, half the world population can be reached with a five-hour flight or less. Other economic and tourist regions such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Macao can easily be reached by road or sea. In addition, the Brussels-Hong Kong connection offers easy access to other destination in Asia, the Pacific and Oceania. Air Belgium will soon announce connections to flights from other airline companies to these destinations.