Infrastructure of Brussels Airport

[Stij]

Hi Atlantis,

That's excellent news!

Small question: will these gates be Schengen / Non-Schengen, both?

Thanx,

Stij

[Atlantis]

Hi Atlantis,

That's excellent news!

Small question: will these gates be Schengen / Non-Schengen, both?

Thanx,

Stij

Map call it that they will make a world-class transfer product at Brussels Airport. I think that it will be Schengen/non-Schengen. But I could be wrong in this.

[Conti764]

Hi Atlantis,

That's excellent news!

Small question: will these gates be Schengen / Non-Schengen, both?

Thanx,

Stij

Map call it that they will make a world-class transfer product at Brussels Airport. I think that it will be Schengen/non-Schengen. But I could be wrong in this.

I think it will become a non-shengen infrastructure with a mix of wide- and smallbody gates (like the B-pier?). If they'd make it a Star Alliance only terminal, it would give the alliance a great transfer facility.

[Atlantis]

I was searching about a topic I started up some while ago about what will happen at the airport between now and 2020. It looks like it is disappeared, very strange.

There you could see what will happen with the A Pier and the new T2 (Terminal 2) at the airport.

But it looks that there will be a smaller extension as previously foreseen. First they wanted an extension with 28 NB gates or one with 14WB.

But it is correct Conti764 that it will be for NB and WB.

[sn26567]

The new infrastructure programme is on its way. Brussels Airport has launched an environmental incidence study for the approval of a 460 million EUR plan by the Flemish authorities. The programme comprises:

1. Twenty new gates at the west of the A pier, increasing the airport capacity by 18%. This should be completed in 2016.

2. The "Connector" between the main building and the A pier on two levels. This should ready by 2014.

3. A business centre (the "Gateway") in the building of the old airport, with 34,000 m² of offices and multimodal acc ess.

4. A new freight building at Brucargo.

More details: http://www.lecho.be/actualite/entrepris ... source=SIM

[Boavida]

Some pictures of the (definitive) design of the new 'connector' building:








Pictures: © Chapman Taylor

Not a very attractive design, if you ask me.

[airbuske]

Chapman Taylor designed Dubai Concourse 3 and Faro Airport.

[flymd11]

I thought the PR talked about a 'Sky Bridge' which implies something over the taxiway (similar to LGW). What they seem to actually be planning is a normal terminal extension blocking the taxiway. There's a difference.

On another note, I saw that Easyjet no longer use the jetway stands at the end of the A pier. Instead they have A3X gates (downstairs) with a holding pen and walk to the aircraft. How long has this been in operation?

[Stij]

I thought the PR talked about a 'Sky Bridge' which implies something over the taxiway (similar to LGW). What they seem to actually be planning is a normal terminal extension blocking the taxiway. There's a difference.

On another note, I saw that Easyjet no longer use the jetway stands at the end of the A pier. Instead they have A3X gates (downstairs) with a holding pen and walk to the aircraft. How long has this been in operation?

I don't know exactly, but I used it on february 21th....

Kind regards,

Stij

[RoMax]

I thought the PR talked about a 'Sky Bridge' which implies something over the taxiway (similar to LGW). What they seem to actually be planning is a normal terminal extension blocking the taxiway. There's a difference.

As from what I remember, BRU always talked about 'the connector', intended to have a connection between the terminal and the A-pier at ground level. Pax are losing time, and are annoyed by "the steps down/steps up thing" to get in the A-pier.
A Sky Bridge wouldn't change anything, except that they go up instead of going down...quite a waste of money then.

[convair]

Never heard anyone complain about the tunnel. This connector is a loss of money to me, unless Brussels Airport intends to make it a shopping mall...which they probably will.

[Conti764]

Never heard anyone complain about the tunnel. This connector is a loss of money to me, unless Brussels Airport intends to make it a shopping mall...which they probably will.

I've heard a lot of people complaining about the long dull walk under the tarmac. There is nothing to see or do in that tunnel. You have three rolling carpets, and a long advertising space from the start to the end. That's it.

Building a ground level connection is a wise thing to do. More space, more daylight, more things to see and to do,... Besides that, it is the goal to change security and centralise it at one point, right behind the check-in area and before border control for non-shengen flights.

And once everything is completed, A-pier West will be opened, you'll have one nice stretch from the departure hall to both the Western expansion and the excisting infrastructure. Only downside is that when a plane has to leave from the first gate at the southern apron of the future extension and has to take off from rwy02, it has to take a long trip.

Something we might see one day is the opening of a brand new terminal 2, at the current location of the former DHL-building 02. But even if one day realized, it will still take many years. Although the current departure can get really crowded at peak times.

[regi]

Never heard anyone complain about the tunnel. This connector is a loss of money to me, unless Brussels Airport intends to make it a shopping mall...which they probably will.

The transfer system has been a major complaint on many fora all over the world for many years.
You are right that most complaints don't point specifically to the tunnel - because passengers do not realize that they walk inside a tunnel. But the system with elevators, rolling stairs, long walks has been criticised numerous times.
The new connector will not change that much. All in all, we have noticed that the bad impression of that long walk is mostly just an impression. Was it not Jan or Stijn who made it in 10 minutes from airplane to the outside of the terminal building?

[Air Key West]

All in all, we have noticed that the bad impression of that long walk is mostly just an impression.

Several airports make you walk long distances also sometimes through tunnels (the first which comes to my mind is FRA between Terminals A and B if my memory serves me right, and also at GVA) and at ZRH (for many, one of the best airports in the world) you also have to take escalators to go down to the train which takes you to Terminal E. Savvy frequent travelers know that at BRU, the best way to go down to the entrance of the "tunnel" is to take the lifts. I don't particularly like the tunnel, but is not worse than what many other airports offer.

[RoMax]

The new connector will not change that much. All in all, we have noticed that the bad impression of that long walk is mostly just an impression. Was it not Jan or Stijn who made it in 10 minutes from airplane to the outside of the terminal building?

What the connector will change is that it'll be a wide open space, probably you'll find shops and things like that overthere, it will be a space with a lot of light and you don't have the up/down thing you have with the tunnel. The overall walking time reduction is probably quite minimal indeed, but you said it yourself actually... Because it is such a boring walking it seems so long, when they make it a pleasant walking (and combine it with extra incoms, through shops) passengers will not feel like they have to walk to the other side of Brussels to catch their plane.

[convair]

Talking about shopping, in many airports you can now buy duty-free on arrival which makes much more sense than carry these on-board. Haven't seen it yet in BRU though. Let's save fuel!

[Kapitein]

Talking about shopping, in many airports you can now buy duty-free on arrival which makes much more sense than carry these on-board. Haven't seen it yet in BRU though. Let's save fuel!

It's also possible in BRU

[Homo Aeroportus]

Talking about shopping, in many airports you can now buy duty-free on arrival which makes much more sense than carry these on-board. Haven't seen it yet in BRU though....

Yes you can (I've heard this before )
I did it already and I seem to remember banners across the A Pier inviting you to do so.

H.A.

[sn26567]

I did it already and I seem to remember banners across the A Pier inviting you to do so.

Pier A is devoted to Schengen pax and does not sell anything duty-free, i.e. without VAT (except perhaps in the T-zone).