BRU - new "Connector"

[Flanker2]

I guess Brussels airport is not planning on more flights in the future, just more retail revenue...

May I remind you that BRU will start around 2015 with the extension of Pier A in West direction. Number of gates will grow between 12 and 20 gates, depends long haul or short haul.

Sorry to say but Retail is an important income of an airport, you like it or not. When it is not there, they people will complain that there are no facilities.
Income out of Retail is also a benefit for the airport. Money can be invested in other projects.

Sorry but the time that you have only income only out of aviation related business is long time ago and not of this time.

Retail is doing very well at BRU and this due to the fact that they only want good brands on the airport and that's why it will never look like a mall.

Think further, when Jet Airways will leave the airport, then you lose your aviation related landing rights of that airline, parking fees etc etc. You need more income then that alone.

It's true but that's not the problem.
I invite you to go visit the shopping mall at the WTC II tower in Brussels. It's a ghost shopping mall.
The reason: Bpost left the building for another building, empty stores led to more empty stores (and there were rumors about asbestos), until there was nothing left. A lot of stores were occupied by official instances who used it as office, so it didn't have much to do with the conjecture either.

IMO, BRU is already beyond capacity with its shopping mall. I've never seen them crawling full with people. There is plenty of open space in the current terminal A to add more shops and kioks, they don't need to make such a huge investment.

So if this investment was to add gates and extend terminal A sideways towards the main building, it would have made sense. To me it looks like BRU doesn't know what to do with its huge profits and is throwing euro-bills in the air, hoping that they fall back down as gold.

[Boavida]

Inside the new connector: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyqw8XMPJBM

Looks fine, but from an architectural point of view a pretty boring building...

[Inquirer]

IMO, BRU is already beyond capacity with its shopping mall. I've never seen them crawling full with people.

Yet not all brands actually aim for SALES through their airport shop: I have a pretty strong feeling that for quite a few of the luxury brands present at BRU, their airport store is as much a promotional matter, as it is a commercial matter.

When you're target customer base is just 2 or 3% of the total population, it really takes a lot of effort to reach out to them and making nation wide advertisement campaigns isn't very useful and very expensive too.

Seriously, a premium airport like BRU is the ideal place for luxury brands to conveniently and quickly reach out to large numbers of higher middle class people and as such quite a few of those brands are very happy running what are called 'flagship stores', even though they may not sell much indeed.

Take BMW for instance: they always have a (few) luxury car(s) on display at the beginning of the A pier, yet there's not even a salesman of theirs present, so even if you'd want to, you can't buy a BMW at the airport, yet still they are happy to run a showroom and pay for being present there. You won't see Dacia do that, I can assure you!

[Stij]

I think Inquirer is right:

a lot of window shopping does happen! And maybe they'll just sit down, connect to Telenethotspot and make the order to be delivered when they get home.

But it's not just that: personally I shop a lot at airports when my flight's delayed, or the meeting was a bitter shorter then expected.

Seriously, most of you must be male (this being an aviation forum, what do you prefer? The Bondgenotenlaan in Leuven with the spouse on a busy saturday afternoon or BRU, FCO, VCE, LHR airport on a quiet wednesday afternoon?

Now, what always wondered me, was the absence of food outlets at European Airports compared to US airports, especially those served at the table... If I'm not mistaken, BRU has just on airside: the Black Pearls in the A pier.

Cheers,

Stij

[shockcooling]

So if I try to understand the interior video, you pass through security and you choose left terminal A/T and right terminal B. Some personal remarks;
- everyone going to the right will not pass that huge supermarket style duty free shop
- why does it look claustrophobic in the security area, what is below?
- how do we reach the baggage reclaim area
- everybody transferring from A to B and vv will have to pass that small corridor next to the security?
- they said the change of floors is/was a nuisance, why do we need to take a small escalator down and a bit later up again to reach the A terminal by walking

Anyway, to me it looks like they have created a 'connector' that big, but stuffing it with everything they could come up with...instead of giving the feeling of open space.

Edit, just saw around 1min25 that there is a corridor below security level, looks almost like a tunnel to me.

[Inquirer]

Brussels Airport really seems to be in love with Brussels Airlines these days: literally every plane and every billboard you see in their simulation is branded with Brussels Airlines titles.
I remember the days when their relationship was quite a bit less cosy?

[regi]

time to open a ( decent) massage service.

[JOVAN]

I guess Brussels airport is not planning on more flights in the future, just more retail revenue...

May I remind you that BRU will start around 2015 with the extension of Pier A in West direction. Number of gates will grow between 12 and 20 gates, depends long haul or short haul.

Sorry to say but Retail is an important income of an airport, you like it or not. When it is not there, they people will complain that there are no facilities.
Income out of Retail is also a benefit for the airport. Money can be invested in other projects.

Sorry but the time that you have only income only out of aviation related business is long time ago and not of this time.

Retail is doing very well at BRU and this due to the fact that they only want good brands on the airport and that's why it will never look like a mall.

Think further, when Jet Airways will leave the airport, then you lose your aviation related landing rights of that airline, parking fees etc etc. You need more income then that alone.

Sorry to say Atlantis, but I believe Retail would only benefit from more flights and more passengers.
This is very much of this time. Lot of people, lot of business.

And, maybe BRU makes benefit from the Retail, but the Retailers at BRU for sure not !!
Half of the day BRU is an empty space. Shops are empty.

Only more flights and more passengers, especially in the afternoon would help.

Now, as I already mentioned many times before, BRU is not attractive, not for the airlines and not for the passengers. BRU will loose more PAX to AMS, because there they now that making an airport attractive means 'sexy' image, novelties, original shopping concept with attractions, and...........many flights with many passengers.

In one word: BUSINESS !!

Create an image, create a legend, create a product, create a concept, ...

With the present 'strategy', BRU will not reach 20mio PAX per annum before...2020.

[Atlantis]

@ JOVAN,

And still your negativism is still there after many years. But that's your problem.

Retail can indeed only benefit with more pax. The revenu of Retail at Brussels Airport is very good, for some shops, restaurants, pubs, etc they are even excellent.
Some other shops has less clients and thus lower revenu but that doesn't matter as those shops belong to a big group and can survive for many years.

Brussels Airport accept only solid marks, very specific marks, not a bunch of 12 shops who you can find at every corner in the street.

Brussels Airport not attractive enough? Everyone's opinion of course but for years BRU is one of the few airports in Europe who is on top in satisfaction of pax.

And believe me, airlines and pax are not choosing an airport because it's "sexy" or attractive. Airlines come to a country of the possible potential in that country.
If I go to Mauritius then it is via CDG or LHR. I don't choose CDG because it's sexy oh no, it's one of the most dirtiest, crowdy, not attractive and not friendly airport. The same with the South Europe airports.
I go there because they can bring me from A to B.

An airport is a combination of so many things: a good homecarrier, infrastructure, road infrastructure, what kind of economy in that country, etc etc. An airport on itself is nothing, you need many external facts to be good and attractive.

[Tomskii]

I guess Brussels airport is not planning on more flights in the future, just more retail revenue...

May I remind you that BRU will start around 2015 with the extension of Pier A in West direction. Number of gates will grow between 12 and 20 gates, depends long haul or short haul.

Sorry to say but Retail is an important income of an airport, you like it or not. When it is not there, they people will complain that there are no facilities.
Income out of Retail is also a benefit for the airport. Money can be invested in other projects.

Sorry but the time that you have only income only out of aviation related business is long time ago and not of this time.

Retail is doing very well at BRU and this due to the fact that they only want good brands on the airport and that's why it will never look like a mall.

Think further, when Jet Airways will leave the airport, then you lose your aviation related landing rights of that airline, parking fees etc etc. You need more income then that alone.

Sorry to say Atlantis, but I believe Retail would only benefit from more flights and more passengers.
This is very much of this time. Lot of people, lot of business.

And, maybe BRU makes benefit from the Retail, but the Retailers at BRU for sure not !!
Half of the day BRU is an empty space. Shops are empty.

Only more flights and more passengers, especially in the afternoon would help.

Now, as I already mentioned many times before, BRU is not attractive, not for the airlines and not for the passengers. BRU will loose more PAX to AMS, because there they now that making an airport attractive means 'sexy' image, novelties, original shopping concept with attractions, and...........many flights with many passengers.

In one word: BUSINESS !!

Create an image, create a legend, create a product, create a concept, ...

With the present 'strategy', BRU will not reach 20mio PAX per annum before...2020.

Just one small correction: Yes BRU is quiet during calm hours. But saying retail is not benefiting is just plain old bull****. I've worked at the tax free shops for instance as a student, if you knew how much money I put back in the machine (money counters that store the money in 'exploding' cases). In a 6 hour shift I mostly had +10k EUR in my register only. 4 members of the team that makes +40K EUR only in one shop. When you calculate that there are plenty of (mostly) expensive shops. Yeah they make huge profits.

One thing why I like the connector is that there will be something to do on your way to the pier and that you're not just walking in a boring tunnel with advertisements left and right of you. The connector will make transit also a lot more 'fun'. Whilst I do not like the outside (on the simulation) the inside just looks very nice and functional (in terms of security checkpoint).

[BRU]

Central screening, shops after security check in both A anb B pier, no more tunnel,... Can not wait till connector is finished. Do not understand how people can be against this !! And for those people who think commercial is not making money for the airport: wake up !!

[DannyVDB]

Hi all,

Just two short remarks:
- The connector - the internal part - looks almost identical to many retail zones in the other airports of Europe (e.g. Frankfurt). Would not be surprised if it are the same companies that are building it ...
- In many other airports I come (and I come in many of them quite often ) the shops are empty. They are only crowded at some parts of the day. That is even true for FRA. So this is certainly nothing specific for BRU.

I am looking forward using the connector. Looks great!

Regards,
Danny

[DannyVDB]

I have another question ...

Is there any news regarding the new office building to be developed in the old terminal/office building of the airport (to be used by the 3000 employees of Deloitte)?
- When will they start / finalize?
- What will this change to the front side of the old terminal (if anything at all)?
- Will they make use of facilities in the airport (restaurants, ...)?
- Where will the parking space for their employees be?
- What will be the impact on the traffic towards the airport (already difficult nowadays with many of those people coming in .... hm)
- will they maybe have an observation desk in their building?
- ....

Cheers,
Danny

[Tomskii]

Hi Danny,

Don't think they started working on the offices yet (at least didn't notice anything special last week. I have not seen any renderings of how the building will look but I think they will keep the old facade and probably just replace the windows (as I think they are still single glass windows). So externally not much will change, internally they will have modern offices with a view I would kill for

[Atlantis]

Hi Danny,

Don't think they started working on the offices yet (at least didn't notice anything special last week. I have not seen any renderings of how the building will look but I think they will keep the old facade and probably just replace the windows (as I think they are still single glass windows). So externally not much will change, internally they will have modern offices with a view I would kill for

Hmm you are indeed not well informed Tomskii. The whole building will change drastically, inside and outside. Ther will be even a whole new fourth wall at the building to make it close. Now there are only three. Tomskii, it is all about prestige. Do you really think that Deloitte will be happy with an old surface but everything new inside? What kind of image would they give then. Do not forget that that it will be the headquarter of Deloitte. So a lot of international visitors will come to them too.


I will send a link

http://www.jaspers-eyers.be/gateway

http://www.brusselsairport.be/nl/mediaroom/news/37480/

[Flanker2]

I guess Brussels airport is not planning on more flights in the future, just more retail revenue..

May I remind you that BRU will start around 2015 with the extension of Pier A in West direction. Number of gates will grow between 12 and 20 gates, depends long haul or short haul.

Sorry to say but Retail is an important income of an airport, you like it or not. When it is not there, they people will complain that there are no facilities.
Income out of Retail is also a benefit for the airport. Money can be invested in other projects.

Sorry but the time that you have only income only out of aviation related business is long time ago and not of this time.

Retail is doing very well at BRU and this due to the fact that they only want good brands on the airport and that's why it will never look like a mall.

Think further, when Jet Airways will leave the airport, then you lose your aviation related landing rights of that airline, parking fees etc etc. You need more income then that alone.

Sorry to say Atlantis, but I believe Retail would only benefit from more flights and more passengers.
This is very much of this time. Lot of people, lot of business.

And, maybe BRU makes benefit from the Retail, but the Retailers at BRU for sure not !!
Half of the day BRU is an empty space. Shops are empty.

Only more flights and more passengers, especially in the afternoon would help.

Now, as I already mentioned many times before, BRU is not attractive, not for the airlines and not for the passengers. BRU will loose more PAX to AMS, because there they now that making an airport attractive means 'sexy' image, novelties, original shopping concept with attractions, and...........many flights with many passengers.

In one word: BUSINESS !!

Create an image, create a legend, create a product, create a concept, ...

With the present 'strategy', BRU will not reach 20mio PAX per annum before...2020.

Just one small correction: Yes BRU is quiet during calm hours. But saying retail is not benefiting is just plain old bull****. I've worked at the tax free shops for instance as a student, if you knew how much money I put back in the machine (money counters that store the money in 'exploding' cases). In a 6 hour shift I mostly had +10k EUR in my register only. 4 members of the team that makes +40K EUR only in one shop. When you calculate that there are plenty of (mostly) expensive shops. Yeah they make huge profits.

One thing why I like the connector is that there will be something to do on your way to the pier and that you're not just walking in a boring tunnel with advertisements left and right of you. The connector will make transit also a lot more 'fun'. Whilst I do not like the outside (on the simulation) the inside just looks very nice and functional (in terms of security checkpoint).

I have to state this, but I think that Jovan is right-on.

As to your story of 40.000 EUR per day in revenue
1. it would mean that every departing pax of the airport spends 4 EUR in the duy-free shop you worked as student, if we put aside the fact that the pax departing from the other terminal never see your shop. Even if 50% of all pax buy in your shop, they would have to buy for 8 euro's each... Everybody would move from Rue Neuve and Meir to the airport if that were true!! And the shops should be crawling full of people...
2. It's not like they're spending their last foreign moneys before leaving back to a far country, it's mostly intra-European travellers.
3. Third point is that it's cash, while normal people pay with cards, be it credit or bank cards.
4. Duty-free shops are duty free but often most products except cigarettes are more expensive anyway as the shops cash-in the part of the taxes for themselves. But if 20 shops are going to sell duty-free cigarettes...
5. Probably few shoppers bought a lot of highly valuable and easily resellable stuff.

Do I need to spell it out? It's no secret that duty-free shops are very often used for money laundrying, be it with the shop owner's consent, or without.

Currency is also smuggled between ports of entry by backpackers, boats and snowmobiles. As well, money launderers reportedly use money exchange services and duty free shops to facilitate money laundering.

http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/le/bs ... a-eng.aspx

Leaving aside the moral issue, I don't see how more shops will increase this traffic as the revenue will tend to be divided rather than increased unless they want to get the tax office's scrutiny.

Jovan is right, more traffic is more real estate revenue for the airport. I don't think that real estate revenue can be increased at BRU by increasing customer exposure. The current exposure is sufficient and the shops are always empty.

[Atlantis]

Flanker2, even you don't have a clue how to run an airline, it seems that you even have no clue how to run an airport and it told me that you even never came into the airport.

Bars, restaurants, coffee corners, juice stands, are Always more then full. They even have queue most of the time.

Other shops are doing fine or more then fine and if you don't see people in the Esprit store, doesn't matter, it is only one store in the whole concept of them. The branch name is much more important to them, visibility.

When we talk about the more exclusive stores like like for very expensive bags, clothes, wines, champagnes, well my dear Flanker2 and JOVAN, people order them there and pick it up on an other place, that's how they work.
Think twice. You have at the entrance of the A councourse some very exclusive men stores. Do you really think that those men will buy a suit without checking them out first. As you maybe know, there are no fitting rooms. So how it works, they order it. They can pick it up at the airport or outside the airport in an other store.

Read also the stories of other members here and yes indeed, at FRA, LHR, CDG, etc etc you have empty stores, so why the fuss????

Before starting to talk about something you don't know, inform yourself first or know how it works.

[laurents]

From a business perspective I understand the reason for this decision.

Having said that I feel that most people often complain about the long distance between check-in and boarding at terminal A, this new connector will not improve this, from the video I would even say it might make it worse. I can no longer see any auto-walks in the connector, this means even more walking compared to today, it will make the walk 'feel' nice as there will be loads of shops and other entertainment to keep your mind occupied on your way to the gate.

I would also say that for business people this could be a drawback. One of the most important facts when using an airport is the ease and speed to get through the airport, especially for short flights. I rather use London City airport compared to London Heathrow T5. T5 is a great fast airport but all the shops in pier A make it very hard to walk from one end to the other as it is always so busy with people wondering around.
Shops make it slower to go through the airport and taking away the auto-walks will definitely decrease the speed you can get from the check-in to the gate.

[Atlantis]

From a business perspective I understand the reason for this decision.

Having said that I feel that most people often complain about the long distance between check-in and boarding at terminal A, this new connector will not improve this, from the video I would even say it might make it worse. I can no longer see any auto-walks in the connector, this means even more walking compared to today, it will make the walk 'feel' nice as there will be loads of shops and other entertainment to keep your mind occupied on your way to the gate.

I would also say that for business people this could be a drawback. One of the most important facts when using an airport is the ease and speed to get through the airport, especially for short flights. I rather use London City airport compared to London Heathrow T5. T5 is a great fast airport but all the shops in pier A make it very hard to walk from one end to the other as it is always so busy with people wondering around.
Shops make it slower to go through the airport and taking away the auto-walks will definitely decrease the speed you can get from the check-in to the gate.

The auto-walks will indeed disappear but they gave you only a few secs more progress, not more.
But you will win this back due to the fact that you don't have to go several floors anymore. Now it will be only one, so you will be quicker.

Other positive aspect is that security will be much more spacious. The security screening at the A-pier was already spacious but at the B-concourse, it was rather very close to each other.

Everything will be more spacious with natural light and more comfort for pax.

Note that for the 18.972.000 pax a year they cannot do everything good or bad, there will be Always this or that. But things are moving and that's important. Now you have the Connector-project and in 2015 (in two years) they are going to start with the extension of A Concourse West.

Let us hope that in that time SN is still doing well and the excisting carriers can expand. In meantine the aviation department is already doing for years an excellent job in having very good contact with possible future carriers. The trade missions of our governement and Prince are helping to.

Let us focus in growing, expanding and seeing the positive in it instead of looking back all the time into the past or doing nothing, that's negativism. We don't need them.

Good job BRU.

[cnc]

i hope they keep the tunnel for the employees