New airline Air Belgium will launch its first flights in March with Hong Kong its first destination.
It has chosen Brussels South Charleroi Airport as its base and will operate the Hong Kong route with Airbus A340 jets.
It will start with an initial fleet of four A340s, and takes delivery of the first this month.
No specific date in March has been disclosed yet but reservations are expected to go live later this month.
Air Belgium is still awaiting regulatory approval for the flights.
It also said plans are being laid for future routes to mainland China.
The startup will face competition from Cathay Pacific, which launches non-stop flights to Brussels on March 25 using more fuel efficient A350-900 aircraft.
"We’re very pleased Air Belgium has chosen our airport," said Jean-Jacques Cloquet, CEO at Brussels South Charleroi Airport.
"Being able to welcome a company such as Air Belgium on our apron allows us to switch to a new strategy and further strengthen our international position. We look forward to welcoming future passengers and meeting their every need."
"We are convinced that our passengers will benefit from a great service, especially because Brussels South is starting to adjust its current infrastructure", said Air Belgium CEO Niky Terzakis.
