SN Brussels Airlines and regional investment companies, as well as the Brussels and Walloon governments) set up SN Airholding, headed by Étienne Davignon. After the 2001 collapse of Sabena, Belgium's flag carrier airline, Belgium was left without a national airline. In February 2002, SN Airholding took over the Belgian airline DAT, a subsidiary of Sabena, and changed its trading name to SN Brussels Airlines. In 2002, a strategic reorganization started, led by the former CEO Peter Davies. On 12 April 2005 SN Brussels took holding control of Virgin Express and on 31 March 2006 they announced their merger. On 7 November 2006 they
European Regions Airline Association European Regions Airline Association The European Regions Airline Association is the principal trade association representing intra-European regional airlines. It represents 52 airlines and 139 service providers (2017). The European Regions Airline Association was founded as the European Regional Airlines Association in 1980, by a small number of what were then known as "commuter airlines". The association is registered as a limited company in England & Wales. In the 2000s, the line between low-cost airlines serving regional airports close to high-traffic areas and actual regional airlines became blurry, and the scope of ERA's potential members grew much bigger. The congestion of