Air Belgium (KF, Brussels Charleroi) has received another lifeline, with the Business Court of Brabant Wallon authorising the transfer of the airline's cargo business to French maritime logistics group CMA CGM.
"The offer from the maritime group CMA CGM includes the full takeover of Air Belgium's operations, along with its fleet of four aircraft: two Airbus A330-243F [A330-200Fs] and two Boeing B747-8Fs. This acquisition aims to retain 186 employees out of a total of 401. Positions in administrative, operational, ground, and flight staff, as well as flight crew (across all aircraft categories), will be maintained, regardless of contract type. The company will continue to develop from Brussels National and Liège airports," the airline said in a statement.
CMA CGM, one of the world's biggest shipping and logistics companies, submitted an official offer to take over Air Belgium's cargo activities to the court-appointed practitioner, Bernard Vanham. On March 19, he filed a request with the Brabant Wallon Business Court seeking authorisation to transfer Air Belgium's activities to the French group, which already owns a cargo airline, CMA CGM Air Cargo (2C, Paris CDG), with a fleet of two B777-200Fs (a third one is under a CMI deal with Atlas Air) and one A330-200F.
This comes after the same court on March 6 rejected a bid by Air One Belgium, a consortium of companies including Dutch company Peso Aviation Management and UK firm One Holding International, following months of delays.
The consortium claims that it had fulfilled all the conditions of its takeover bid and intends to challenge the decision in court.
ch-aviation has reached out to Air One Belgium for comment.
