The Belgian airline Air Belgium will soon be flying to the tropical island of Mauritius, with two flights a week starting from 15 October.
These new flights - which will serve passengers on the new Airbus A330neo - are part of the company's push to bounce back as travel resumes.
"People still wish to travel, and we have noticed that the number of travel demands has increased over the past few weeks," explained Niky Terzakis, CEO of Air Belgium. "With our new destinations and our new aircraft, we also think that Belgians will be even more eager to fly. We are confident for the future with the demand picking up and our new offer."
According to the International Air Transport Association (Iata) data, global demand is expected to reach 61% of pre-crisis levels (2019) by 2022.
The airline will also resume flights to Guadeloupe on 3 December and Martinique on 4 December from Brussels Charleroi airport. These new flights and an expansion of cargo activities will also create new jobs, the airline announced on Tuesday.
As of 15 December, the company will also launch a new service to Curaçao via Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic.
What's this about a new plane?
Flying for the first time under the colours of a Belgian airline, "the Airbus A330neo is one of the most cost-effective and modern aircraft currently available," the company explained. The new plane promises to be quieter, roomier, more eco-friendly and boasts a state of the art entertainment system.
"We are extremely proud that the new Airbus A330neo is flying under Air Belgium's colours to Mauritius", said Wouter Van Wersch, EVP, President of Region & Sales Europe Airbus. "The productivity and flexibility benefits of the A330neo make it the best in its category, most efficient and most comfortable aircraft for Air Belgium's long-haul network", he added.
