Brussels airport pins hopes on Jet

Munich: With the imminent arrival of aircraft from Jet Airways, India's largest private airline, from Mumbai on August 5, low-key Brussels airport is hoping that the Indian carrier's daily Mumbai-Brussels-Newark service will bolster not only passenger but also cargo traffic with both India and the United States.
Brussels airport benefits from the huge presence of the Indian business community in and around Antwerp, the majority of whom are engaged in the diamond trade. Antwerp is an important diamond hub where billions of dollars in precious stones change hands in trade with India, Israel, South Africa and the United States. A large chunk of this diamond business passes through Brussels airport.
Brussels airport, which likes to portray itself as a "hub in the heart of Europe", is keen to come out of the shadow of its next door "big brother", Amsterdam's Sch-iphol airport, which has long dominated the Benelux region and has come close to challenging Frankfurt airport, Europe's leading cargo airport.
"We are also trying to get Jet Airways' freighters to fly to Brussels en route to the US, which is India's biggest market," Philippe Fierens, Brussels airport's cargo business development manager, told Cargonews Asia.
Jet Airways also has a co-operation deal with Lufthansa Cargo, the leading European carrier.
Brussels airport is upbeat about Jet Airways' ambitious plans to foray into North America from India via Brussels. The carrier will start a second service - Mumbai-Brussels-Toronto - from September 1. In 2008, Jet Airways plans to introduce three more routes from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai via Brussels to Chicago, JFK New York and Los Angeles.
20/07/07 Manik Mehta/Cargonews Asia, Hong Kong

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Categories: Airports Jul 2007, Foreign Jul 2007, Jet Airways Jul 2007