Sabena History: Belgium's Airline from 1923 to 2001 – Airline Employee Shop

Sabena History

Sabena flew Belgium's flag for nearly 80 years, from its 1923 start in Brussels through the Congo route and the jet age to its final flight in 2001. Here's a short history of Sabena, plus the Sabena items that celebrate it.

Belgium's national airline (1923–1939)

Sabena began operations on May 23, 1923, as Belgium's national carrier, taking over from the earlier airline SNETA. Its first commercial flight ran from Brussels Haren to London on July 1, 1923. On February 12, 1925, Sabena aviators flew from Brussels to Léopoldville in the Belgian Congo. Ten years later, on February 12, 1935, the first long-haul Congo flight took about five and a half days. Africa became Sabena's signature network.

Across the Atlantic and into the air by helicopter (1946–1958)

Service to New York began on June 4, 1946, with Douglas DC-4s. DC-6s followed in 1947, DC-6Bs in 1953 and DC-7Cs in the late 1950s. Sabena was also a helicopter pioneer. It started helicopter mail flights on August 21, 1950, and on September 1, 1953, it began scheduled international passenger helicopter service with eight-seat Sikorsky S-55s.

The jet age (1959–1994)

Sabena's first Boeing 707s arrived on December 4, 1959, making it the first mainland European airline to fly jets across the Atlantic. When the Congo became independent in 1960, the Belgian government used Sabena's long-haul fleet to bring thousands of Belgians home. Sud Aviation Caravelles joined the European network in February 1961, and McDonnell Douglas DC-10s began arriving in 1973.

The final years (1995–2001)

In 1995 Swissair bought a 49 percent stake and took over management. Sabena filed for creditor protection on October 3, 2001, and went into liquidation on November 6. Its last flight, Flight 690, landed in Brussels on November 7, 2001. Investors used Sabena's regional subsidiary to form SN Brussels Airlines, which took over part of Sabena's business in February 2002 and later became Brussels Airlines.

A few things collectors love

  • Sabena was flying scheduled international passenger helicopter services as early as 1953, using Sikorsky S-55s.
  • The first five 707s were registered OO-SJA through OO-SJE, a run of registrations airline fans still recognize.
  • Sabena aviators reached Léopoldville in 1925, opening the long link between Belgium and the Congo.

Shop Sabena

Browse Sabena logo T-shirts, coffee mugs, coasters, tote bags and vintage designs in our Sabena items. Add an airline bag tag or key tag for the Sabena fan in your life.

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