Brussels Airlines calls for €200 million bailout

Brussels Airlines has called for a €200 million government bailout following news the company will stop all flights from Saturday, and the losses sustained, while the 4,000 staff are paid, will amount to the equivalent of €70 million, according to Belgian financial publication De Tijd. According to De Tijd, rumours in Belgian government circles suggest the company risks bankruptcy without aid. However Brussels Airlines categorically denied this in a response to the financial newspaper. Meanwhile the parent company of Brussels Airlines, the German carrier Lufthansa, is facing problems of its own as ratings agency Moody’s lowered its rating to Ba1, thereby