Name: Bernard Gustin
Title: CEO
Company: Brussels Airlines
Number of employees: 3,400
Recent project: The June 1 launch of service to New York and the launch of Korongo Airlines, an intra-Africa joint venture airline.
First job: Financial analyst for Procter & Gamble, 1993.
Little-known fact about you: In my function as a consultant at Arthur D. Little, I wrote the business plan for Sabena’s successor, SN Brussels Airlines. Today, 10 years later, I am the CEO of this same airline.
Your Business
Essential business philosophy: A quote from Winston Churchill says it all: “Everybody knew it was not possible. One day, a man came, he wasn’t aware and he did it.”
Best way to keep a competitive edge: Be up on the curve, provide great service while keeping an eye on the financials.
Yardstick of success:Our success and sustainable profitability will be my gauge.
As a Traveler
Most important item you take when traveling: My iPad; I can download reports, music, sports and TV programs I may have missed and also Skype with my family.
How you spend your time on board: On some trips, I review product financial data. Often I read and chat with the crew in order to see the company from another perspective. I also keep eyes and ears open for customer reactions.
Favorite restaurant in the world: The Sea Grill in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Brussels
Favorite destination: New York City. I can’t wait to bring my children to see New York.
About Your Brand
What travelers can expect from Brussels Airlines: We have refined our long-haul product to offer value and top service. We do not have a firstclass product, but we offer first-class hospitality and service with a Belgian theme. Brussels Airlines offers no-nonsense quality, comfort and trendy service with convenient timetables to Europe and Africa.
What makes Brussels Airlines’ business class unique: With the launch of New York service, we wanted a world-class business class. The seat is the best of its class, with high-quality Belgian cuisine and an experience that Americans want the most. The aircraft will have 30 business-class seats, of which 10 will be single “king seats” for the solo (business) traveler. The fully flat seat to Brussels will be a benchmark.
Most challenging aspect of your launch in North America: As the saying goes, “To be famous in Belgium is to be unknown.” Brussels Airlines needs exposure in the United States, and one way to tackle this issue is through our relationship with the Lufthansa Group. This network will immediately feed into Brussels Airlines. Once business travelers try Brussels Airlines and experience our great service, we are sure they will be repeat customers. We have a lot of competition, but our service is superior and will be a favorite among travelers.
Read This Next
All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Apr 18, 2025Grand Hyatt Atlanta Buckhead Completes Renovation
Grand Hyatt Atlanta Buckhead unveils the completion of its multiphased renovation. With help from leading design firm DLR Group and architectural experts at designONE studio, the renovation features thoughtfully curated upgrades such as improved accommodations and new dining, socializing and relaxation spaces.
Sponsored Content
Royal Air Maroc Marks Five Years with oneworld: Strengthening Connectivity Between USA and Africa and Expanding Global Reach
Royal Air Maroc proudly enters its fifth year as a member of the prestigious oneworld alliance. Since joining in April 2020, RAM has demonstrated resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging as a dynamic airline that enhanced its digital services and expanded its network. The airline plans to grow its fleet to 200 aircraft by 2037, reinforcing its global presence.
April 2025
Apr 18, 2025Wellness Comes Naturally in Greenville, South Carolina
Strolling through downtown Greenville, South Carolina, it’s easy to see why the city ranks high among the best places to live in the United States: Shops, restaurants and coffee bars line the streets; there are also performance venues, hotels and outdoor plazas. But what really sets this upstate city of just more than 78,000 residents apart are the easily accessible parks and walking trails encouraging both residents and visitors to explore the city by foot or cycle (both handcycles and adaptive bikes are available to rent). Even better, as Greenville continues to grow, city planners and major employers work together to expand these opportunities. When Greenville’s Swamp Rabbit Trail, for instance, opened in 2009, the paved, multiuse pathway ran about 9 miles from the heart of Greenville to the town of Traveler’s Rest.
Daily
Apr 18, 2025California’s Pebble Beach Company to Renovate The Links at Spanish Bay
California’s Pebble Beach Company unveiled the timeline for its highly anticipated renovation of The Links at Spanish Bay. The golf course will close March 18, 2026, and reopen in spring 2027, a few months before the U.S. Open will be played at Pebble Beach Golf Links for the seventh time.
Sponsored Content
A Summer Sojourn Along Europe’s Rivers with AmaWaterways
This summer, elevate your vacation experience with award-winning AmaWaterways. Offering a seamless blend of unparalleled luxury, authentic cultural experiences and unrivaled service, AmaWaterways cruises are the perfect way to uncover the heart of Europe during the sunniest season with itineraries that glide along the continent’s most iconic rivers, including the Danube, the Rhine, the Seine and the Douro.
Daily
Apr 18, 2025Azamara Cruises Announces Shore Excursions for Maiden Voyage to Greenland
Azamara Cruises has unveiled its new shore programming for its Greenland sailings, which start this July. The cruise line is known for its Destination Immersion experiences and Extended Destination Days; all the immersive shore excursions for Greenland sailings have been created in collaboration with local communities to showcase Greenland’s natural beauty. Due to Azamara’s commitment to locally driven experiences, guests will engage with the destination’s unique culture while supporting the local people.
Exclusive St. Barts Hotel Offers for 2025
Daily
Apr 17, 2025eFlyer Reviews
Apr 16, 2025Grand Hotel Des Bains Kempinski St. Moritz Review
Switzerland’s most storied ski town (the one, in fact, credited with pioneering the very concept of Alpine tourism), St. Moritz legendarily attracts the rich, the famous, celebutantes and the wannabes. Yet, there’s something compellingly earthy about the place, a town on a lake rich with natural environs, where winter sports and summer activities draw athletes and mountain lovers aplenty. As at the mountain restaurants (where some arrive by chairlift rather than muscle movement, and all types of diners and imbibers convene), Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski St. Moritz straddles the old and new, the lavish and the understated. The hotel, one of St. Moritz’s oldest, opened as a spa haven in 1864, set atop a healing mineral spring.
Sponsored Content
Find Your Perfect Escape with Paradisus by Meliá — More Than Just All-Inclusive
Luxury travel today is about more than just beautiful accommodations — it’s about experiencing the destination. Paradisus by Meliá takes traditional all-inclusive resorts to the next level by offering indulgence with immersion, experiences and authenticity. Each resort is shaped by its location, local flavors and curated Destination Inclusive® experiences that bring you closer to the heart of the destination.
eFlyer News
Apr 16, 2025Aranui Announces Expansion with Second Ship
Aranui Cruises, the original cruise company in French Polynesia, just announced a second luxury ship set to sail the South Pacific in 2027. The new ship, Aranoa, expands the cruise line and will journey across the Austral Islands.
ShareThis