Reopening Brussels Airport after the 22/03/2016 terror attacks

[b720]

pre - security check machine has been removed at ANR (departure area). One still can not drive to the terminal, just to the parking. As if a driver of a car full of explosives will be deterred by the poor police agent (until last week was military from the army) ... they will just drive though and detonate! Again, all the procedures and costs are for absolutely nothing! (same in BRU)
Anyway, things are improving and people seem to be returning to their senses. Hopefully things will return back to normal very soon.
Non pax are still barred from entering the dep. terminal in BRU?

[sn26567]

Excerpts from an interesting article entitled:

Will Americans travel to Europe?

While Europe continues to forcefully address security issues to thwart potential terror plots, new survey data from Travel Leaders Group indicates that France has bounced back in the eyes of American travellers.

For individuals with upcoming Europe travel plans in 2016, France was selected as the top country those travellers will visit – followed by Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. However, for survey participants stating they're not planning a trip to Europe between now and the end of the year, safety concerns still rank among the top five reasons.

"While each person must decide on their personal level of comfort in travelling to any destination – even those within the U.S. – the survey data shows many are still choosing Europe, and France specifically, as their destination of choice. Travel continues to be one of the single-most powerful catalysts for addressing ignorance, fear and hate.."

[...]

• Taking into consideration recent events, survey participants were asked, "Are there any countries in Europe you would specifically avoid this year?" The top responses, from nearly 3,100 survey participants, were:

1 No 37.5%
2 No - I/we cannot allow fear to dictate our travels 26.6%
3 Turkey 21.0%
4 Belgium 14.4%
5 Russia 14.3%

[END]

http://www.eturbonews.com/71064/will-am ... vel-europe

Still a lot of work for our authorities !

[Conti764]

Excerpts from an interesting article entitled:

Will Americans travel to Europe?

While Europe continues to forcefully address security issues to thwart potential terror plots, new survey data from Travel Leaders Group indicates that France has bounced back in the eyes of American travellers.

For individuals with upcoming Europe travel plans in 2016, France was selected as the top country those travellers will visit – followed by Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. However, for survey participants stating they're not planning a trip to Europe between now and the end of the year, safety concerns still rank among the top five reasons.

"While each person must decide on their personal level of comfort in travelling to any destination – even those within the U.S. – the survey data shows many are still choosing Europe, and France specifically, as their destination of choice. Travel continues to be one of the single-most powerful catalysts for addressing ignorance, fear and hate.."

[...]

• Taking into consideration recent events, survey participants were asked, "Are there any countries in Europe you would specifically avoid this year?" The top responses, from nearly 3,100 survey participants, were:

1 No 37.5%
2 No - I/we cannot allow fear to dictate our travels 26.6%
3 Turkey 21.0%
4 Belgium 14.4%
5 Russia 14.3%

[END]

http://www.eturbonews.com/71064/will-am ... vel-europe

Still a lot of work for our authorities !

Well, we have (amongst others) our French 'friends' to thank for that. Belgium was an easy scape goat right after the Paris attacks in November. People easily fingerpointed at Belgium as a 'failed state' and Molenbeek as the capital of European terror while the French themselves have nothing to be proud of in this matter. As do the Dutch, Germans,...

And then came 22/03 of course, making things even worse...

[Passenger]

"...The survey was conducted April 4 to April 30, 2016, and includes responses from 3,431 consumers throughout the United States..."

If someone in Europe would have done a similar survey just after the Boston Marathon bomb or the San Bernardino mass killing, the result would be about the same: "we don't want to travel to the US".

If the same survey would be done today, after the re-opening of Brussels Airport, the result would be quite different.

[Inquirer]

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/36484/Aanslage ... isch.dhtml

Summary:

On Sunday, some 70,000 people made use of BRU, and there were no delays: it was the bussiest day since the attacks.

BRU is now the only airport in Europe with pre-screening, which is a security plus even.

According to L. Bugeja, BAC boardmember on behalf of the main shareholder Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, OTTP does not plan to change its stake in the airport as a consequence of the attacks and it expects BRU to return to growth fairly quickly.

Brussels Airport CEO A. Feist, together with B. Gustin, CEO of Brussels Airlines and Federal Secretary of Foreign Trade P. De Crem are currently in Toronto on a joint trade mission to have bilateral meetings and promote BRU and Belgium while in Canada.

[brabel]

Maybe slightly off topic, since it's a bit of a personal question.

This Friday I have a flight at 18:50 to Oslo. (Normally it would have been after 7pm)
The earliest I can be in the airport is at 17:20.
So I have about 1hour and a half if everything goes well.

Do you guys think I will make the flight? Or won't I have enough time? How are the queues now these days?

[sean1982]

Maybe slightly off topic, since it's a bit of a personal question.

This Friday I have a flight at 18:50 to Oslo. (Normally it would have been after 7pm)
The earliest I can be in the airport is at 17:20.
So I have about 1hour and a half if everything goes well.

Do you guys think I will make the flight? Or won't I have enough time? How are the queues now these days?

I'm guessing you will be fine, although it's in the evening rush time. It can be unpredictable

[Inquirer]

I did a day trip to ZRH yesterday, leaving at peak time: no problem whatsoever.
I did it in less than 45min again, just like before, so 1,5 hours should be more than enough for you even if you have luggage.

[sn26567]

Brussels Airport did not (yet) publish its March 2016 figures, for obvious reasons. But it was possible to find them in the quarterly report of ACI EUROPE, the European airports trade association, where I could read for BRU:

These figures, as well as passenger traffic results for March (+7.6% for the EU) reveal that the impact of the Brussels terrorist attacks appears to be contained to Belgium, with Brussels airport bearing the brunt of it: -29.1% in March and -5.3% in Q1.

The same report mentions also the terrific growth of LGG and OST:

Q1: Liege (+275.4%), Ostend (+136.6%)
March: Liege (+587.0%), Ostend (+294.7%)

https://www.aviation24.be/organisations/ac ... ing-risks/

[sn26567]

As of tomorrow you can also drop off passengers for free at the new kiss & ride P75 at Brucargo, from where they can board a free 8 minutes shuttle.

(Source: Brussels Airport)

[flightlover]

or you can drop them off at the Delhaize car park or any of the other bus stops at BRU cargo as all buses on airport grounds are free of use as long as you do not leave that area.

[Passenger]

For those complaining about Brussels Airport during terror level 3 and a build up after a terrible bomb blast: take a look at the queue at the security check at Chicago (Midway International):

[sn26567]

I'm surprised that nobody mentioned this yet:

Now that we're back to smooth check-in procedures at the Brussels Airport departure hall, we discontinue the pre-check-in service after this weekend. If you have a flight planned in the coming weeks, you can simply come to the airport just like you did before. You can check in up to 60 minutes before departure for flights within Europe, up to 70min before departure to Africa and up to 90min before departure to Canada and the US.

[Inquirer]

You've beaten me to it, André.
I got a mail from our corporate travel agency this afternoon to inform us that reporting times have been cut back to 60 min for all of our European flights, (or at least when on a Bru.Air or STAR alliance flight).
Makes sense: things go very smooth indeed since they halted the systematic pre-checking of everybody.

[mad_fab]

For those complaining about Brussels Airport during terror level 3 and a build up after a terrible bomb blast: take a look at the queue at the security check at Chicago (Midway International):

This is political. The TSA is fighting to obtain more agents so this kind of "action" is all over the states for the moment.

[sn26567]

This is political. The TSA is fighting to obtain more agents so this kind of "action" is all over the states for the moment.

In Brussels too the action of the airport police was political.

[Boeing767copilot]

I'm surprised that nobody mentioned this yet:

Now that we're back to smooth check-in procedures at the Brussels Airport departure hall, we discontinue the pre-check-in service after this weekend. If you have a flight planned in the coming weeks, you can simply come to the airport just like you did before. You can check in up to 60 minutes before departure for flights within Europe, up to 70min before departure to Africa and up to 90min before departure to Canada and the US.

Only for Brussels Airlines pax

[Homo Aeroportus]

I flew out to BCN with SN last Wednesday.
Arrived at the A201 Fly over at 11:15, slow down for road check, parking P3 top floor.
A snapshot at the two ECAir parked in front.

The pre-check tent that I had used days before was now closed. Only one in service was the northernmost one, closer to the Diamond building. Police there were directing most to the through lane, no check.
Checked-in on internet and hand luggage only so I went to security in the Connector.
Arrived at the Loft at 11:48, after a pit stop to buy a magazine and chats with the military. Guardian angels that day were 5 Linie Bn Bevrijding van Leopoldsburg and 4 Bn Logistic from Marche-en-Famenne.

Parked on 145 in front of the Loft was the Finnair A350. First time I saw it at BRU.

I had a good one hour at the Loft, so again no need to arrive so early - at that time and on that day.

H.A.

P.S. : I came back very late on Thursday 12 with TAP and I noticed this on many seats in A Pier :

And on the FIDS.

BRU is alive and well.

PPS : Arrival hall now clear of the temporary wall.
Outside I saw the green beret of 2 Commando, replacing the 5 Linie Bn who had a detachment sent to Koulikouro in Mali in the scope of the EUTM, EU Training Mission.

[sn26567]

Good performance, Homo Aeroportus.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, 60 minutes in advance is now enough for European flights, even with checked baggage. I will check this next Sunday with baggage.

Nice view of the FIN A350, by the way.

And there is a thread about the free WiFi at BRU mentioning that it is unlimited now (a measure that was introduced when people had to bz there three hours before their flight). Difficult to revert to a limited time after that!

[Flanker2]

Last week I was subjected to the pre-check.
40 minutes between the bus stop and the lounge.

Acceptable, but if managed efficiently by the police, it could be less.

Terrorists have seen that BRU is a good target. Maximum impact on the economy, the media and a target-rich environment.
The "removal" of the pre-check is not good, now that it's a properly working system.
I think that a repeat attack in the near-future is a possibility.
Don't come complaining that SN goes down if that happens.

I'll be the one runnning between the BRU building entrance and the security check. I don't feel like posing my life as collateral for other people's commercial interests if they remove the pre-check.