Dear Brussels Airlines team,
@FlyingBrussels. ✈️
I genuinely like flying with you, travel with Brussels Airlines quite frequently for work, have Frequent Traveller status, and I am not far from reaching Senator status.
But, to be honest, I really do not understand your pricing policy. 🫣
I have always preferred to travel in Business Class, but your fares have now reached a level that I simply cannot justify. Even though my employer gives me a budget of €800 for a return trip, it is virtually impossible to stay within that budget — and, frankly, I no longer feel inclined to spend that amount of money on a flight when I see the prices you are charging.
I do understand that airline pricing is based on sophisticated revenue management. I understand that Business Class fares are not simply calculated according to the cost of the seat, and that airlines need to maximise revenue rather than simply fill every seat. I also understand that some business travellers are less price-sensitive and may be willing to pay significantly more for flexibility, convenience and the ability to travel at a particular time.
But I do wonder how much consideration is given to the long-term value of loyal customers.
What are you doing to make sure that customers like me — frequent business travellers who have historically chosen Business Class, who fly with you regularly and who are working towards higher status — remain willing to choose Business Class with Brussels Airlines?
🤷♀️ Because at a certain point, the pricing strategy becomes counterproductive. If the price is so high that I decide not to buy Business Class at all, you have not gained a higher fare from me — you have simply lost a Business Class customer for that flight. And if this happens repeatedly, you may also be losing the long-term value of a loyal customer.
This morning, I decided not to buy a Business Class ticket because, quite honestly, the price seemed completely disproportionate. And judging by what I see among the passengers I regularly travel with, I am clearly not the only one who feels this way.
So I travelled in Economy instead. I was, however, hoping to purchase a seat towards the front of the aircraft, as I recently suffered a blood clot in my leg following an injury and therefore need a little more legroom. Unfortunately, even those seats could not be purchased — despite the fact that there were plenty of them available.
And then I looked at the Business Class cabin: out of 60 seats, only four were occupied.
I really do not understand.
I appreciate that your pricing system is designed to maximise revenue, and I am not questioning the logic of dynamic pricing itself. What I am questioning is whether the strategy also takes into account what it takes to keep a loyal Business Class customer choosing Brussels Airlines in the long term.
Perhaps there is a point where a slightly lower fare would not simply mean less revenue per ticket, but rather a Business Class customer who actually continues to buy Business Class — and continues to fly with you regularly.
Perhaps next time…
Kind regards,
PP
