Terror attacks: explosions in the departure hall of Brussels Airport!

[sn26567]

This is a sad day for Brussels. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by these horrible attacks. Everyone at Brussels Airlines is deeply saddened. Our first priority is to give care and assistance to our passengers and colleagues.

Bernard Gustin, CEO Brussels Airlines

[eagleheart]

Blocked. All entry roads are (by police)

So the delhaize is closed I suppose?

[KriVa]

I suppose so. All entry roads to Brucargo seemed to be completely blocked by the police when I passed by at around 15.20.

[sn26567]

A Brussels Airlines aeroplane diverted in Lille:

[sn26567]

Statement or Air Canada:

[Freken]

Deeply saddened by this news. I don't see the airport opening tomorrow at 6.

[sean1982]

according to the latest info I have airport will indeed NOT open tomorrow at 06am

[sn26567]

Arnaud Feist just announced that Brussels Airport would remain closed all day tomorrow.

The airport staff will be working in view to try reopening the airport day after tomorrow. Meanwhile cooperation with other airports is being studied.

[Freken]

The airport staff will be working in view to try reopening the airport day after tomorrow. Meanwhile cooperation with other airports is being studied.

Repairing the structure and roof of the terminal could take some time. Not to mention the impact on traffic and tourism.

[sn26567]

Is Cathay_Belgium still inside the airport on that FR flight?
Can you and other passengers share with us how you are experiencing the chaos?

His pictures have been published on his public Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 728&type=3

[b-west]

There's not a window left in the whole terminal building along the curb. Damage inside is extensive, in both parts of the terminals (renovated expo 58 part and the 1990 building). It's gonna take a lot of cleanup work to make checkin operational again. If they plan to reopen in a couple of days it'll be on a limited scale at best

[sn26567]

All Ryanair Brussels Airport flights tomorrow (Wed 23 Mar) will operate to/from Brussels South Charleroi.

http://bit.ly/22tkLXt

[Flanker2]

CX Belgium, you could post the pics on here together with your story, as they depict well what the stranded pax are going through. Might make it on the media too.
It seems like Hangar 41 and Jetair's hangar have become temporary airside shelters.
Great to see competing airlines cooperating at such moments.

[Sproetje]

9W confirms all flights to/from BRU as having been cancelled for tomorrow too

[sean1982]

Ryanair will operate all scheduled BRU flights from CRL airport tomorrow

https://www.ryanair.com/ie/en/useful-in ... ls-airport

[Passenger]

The Lufthansa Group has reviewed its Rebooking Policy and Refund Policy that I have posted this morning:
https://www.aviation24.be/forums/viewtopic ... 40#p330622

Amendment to the above on Rebookings:

c) On request of the passengers, the change of origin/destination is permitted to airports close to Brussels (airports in Belgium, CGN, DUS, PAR, AMS, LUX, FRA). Ground transportation from/to these airport must be organized by the passengers and cost will not be reimbursed. The passengers must be duly informed about this. This derogation is ONLY VALID DURING THE CLOSURE OF BRU AIRPORT (Current status the airport will re-open 23rd March at 12 AM. Further update will follow)

Amendment to the above on Refunds:

In addition to the respective LH Group Carriers standard involuntary policy for flight irregularities:
► Refund is allowed (any penalty will be waived) (also for the non-cancelled flights until 28th March 2016 included). Exceptionally also the YR/DCC fee can be refunded.

[sn26567]

Four Brussels Airlines employees have been injured by the blast. Also 6 police, one of them severely.

[cathay belgium]

Hi,

I was on the FR flight to SXF , FR163 this morning.
We passed the security, the entrance hall, the 'board of departures',the Starbucks everything as usual...
After security check , we walked through the A-pier and when boarding everything just went normal.
They FR people announced 'Boarding Completed' and then we waited and waited for half an hour.
I already knew we weren't going to take off because after the announcement of boarding complete you normally close the door and start the engines... I tought a technical...
Then the captain annouced that we couldn't take off because the firefighters weren't available due to two explosions in the main building..
Again an annoucement it could take a while before we would get a clearance..
and that in front and the back of the plane their would be service for selling food and drinks.
It was also announced that we absolutely can't get off the plane because they didn't know that the area was secured.
This was a trigger for pax. to take their cellphones and start getting more info...
It went quick... Breaking News... we heard about the attack,the death of pax., the roof that came down etc...
The story was getting worse with the minute.. in meanwhile we went to the backdoor of the plane and we noticed the huge line of police,ambulances in front off the main entrance and an army of ambulanciers and medics in front of it.
People of landed planes were guided through the roofed gangways not to the terminal but to the other side of the FR stands ! and from there bussed away... after 15 minutes it was clear a big part of the terminal was evacuated in the same way..
Busses and fire-fighters were seen on the Melsbroek side of the airport.. and a DOVO container truck ?
Then there was an annoucement that we also would be bussed to a safe hangar !
( FR crew was friendly, but the girl in the back -from Berlin- was already thinking off other flights she would miss that day and that she don't get paid while standing here for nothing... ( she was don't know if it is )... )
As the reports are getting better and more serious then ever it was sure that hell broke down and there was no way we would ever be on the plane again today..
But was it safe to go out, it must be because the buses came.. but people were worried..
Then there was an announcement from the captain that we must get off the plane but that every piece off luggage/handluggage must stay IN the plane, were it is still at this moment I guess... EI-DHN ..
Then we were bussed to the SN hangar, guided with Jetair-people and followed by BRU.Airport people, were the day before was the #SNMAGRITTE reception. What a difference. OO-SFX,OO-SNE and OO-DWI were towed out and people were putting an AVRO engine on the side to make place for a 1000? stranded pax.
There were SN-Delta Blankets, water, apple and cranberryjuice, SN ''Good Morning''-breakfastboxes, cakes,coffee available almost immendiately... Bit cold but well organised ( chapeau ! ) in this short time and circumstances.
( Foodboxes from OO-DWI were noticed with me near the tables so guess the planes SN food were distributes as a fast reaction... There wasn't much panic, but lots of worries offcourse, pax and crew were all together here... ( Quatar,KLM,SN... )
A lot of police and Maintenance people were working together.. !
After an hour, 1,5h we were informed that Brussels City was also locked down, and that if people would be interested that they could go outside ( at own risk ? ) to the buses which will bring people to the railwaystation of Leuven, or you can go by foot to the athletic field/hall of Zaventem...
Not more info... or we could stay in the hangar.
As there was no serious reply of safety outside lots of people didn't move far... what else? As you were taking off as a foreigner, or -like us - you came here by car what would you expect ?
Half an hour later we get the announcement that carpark 1 and 2 were open... and you can get there by foot.
We asked what about our handlugage but that would become clear in the next hours, we were told to go if you can. Once outside there was a discusion between different safetypeople that the carparks were yes/NO open...
After 10 minutes we were told that they were open, so we went to P2, lots of policeman and safetycars.. ( police,ambulances ) NO PICS from now !!
We went to our car and went outside... three soldiers in full battledress with weapons asked what we were doing,were we come from,... we had to park our car in front of the exitgates and our numberplate would be checked through the cameras and if the barrier would open we would be free to drive away..
We we drove away we noticed the enormous amoumt of safetycars, the roadblocks on the road for entering the airport AND Brussels City and a VRT news wagon in front off the blocks..
The last hours GSM/PROXIMUS was out of reach until becoming home in Limburg...
Only Facebook was a piece of communication or SMS with the outside world but 4G was also bad, 3G better but still slow...
Will try to upload my pics here later this evening...

The world didn't stop turning, but it changed for good at our beloved BRU-airport.
I passed the bombs by minutes, I'm still alive.. others weren't so fortunate ..
RIP to all of our fellow 'unknown' travellers who died here today in such unreal circumstances...

What a day...

CXB

[sean1982]

Four Brussels Airlines employees have been injured by the blast. Also 6 police, one of them severely.

Stay strong guys #unitedwestand

[Wohowbagger]

Hey cathay, good to hear you are well and safe at home!