Brussels Airport (BRU) infrastructure: future

[JOVAN2]

On luchtvaartnieuws.nl there is nice article with pictures how parts of BRU should look in a hopefully not too distant future.

[Miqvell]

On luchtvaartnieuws.nl there is nice article with pictures how parts of BRU should look in a hopefully not too distant future.

It was already revealed in April, don't know why it's only out now.

[JOVAN2]

The article mentions also engineering companies and others. Also some extra information that can be of interest to other readers

[Atlantis]

Very recently, on the building on the left, ASL has been putting small and big signs of 'ASL Engineering'. ASL 737s have been maintained there for many years already. With the building of this 747-sized hangar I could speculate that this new hangar may be used to maintain also the ASL 747s. As far as I know there is no large MRO hangar at LGG. Don't know where the ASL 747s currently go for hangar time.

Today was the inauguration of this new Sabena Engineering building with the A400M in it.
Lots of guests and prominents were invited. The A400M will have here their maintenance

[Homo Aeroportus]

See also : https://www.aviation24.be/military-airc ... bus-a400m/

H.A.

[Established02]

https://www.sudinfo.be/id1017690/articl ... ires-a400m

Sabena Engineering inaugure un nouveau hangar dédié à aux avions militaires A400M à Brussels Airport

Publié le 14/07/2025 à 13:48

Un nouveau chapitre s’ouvre pour Sabena Engineering avec l’inauguration, ce lundi, d’un hangar ultramoderne à Brussels Airport. Ce site de 6.000 m² est destiné à renforcer la capacité de maintenance des avions A400M de la Défense belge. Il s’inscrit dans le cadre du partenariat stratégique que Sabena entretient avec Airbus depuis 2020 pour le soutien technique de ces appareils.

Dès la fin de l’été, les premiers A400M – les avions de transport militaire long-courrier de l’armée belge – y seront pris en charge. L’infrastructure permettra de centraliser les opérations de maintenance en Belgique, un pas décisif dans le renforcement de l’autonomie technologique nationale.

Un hangar aux ambitions multiples
Présent lors de l’inauguration, le ministre de la Défense Theo Francken a salué « une étape cruciale, à la fois pour notre Force aérienne et pour l’industrie aéronautique du pays », estimant que ce nouvel outil renforcera la capacité de transport stratégique de la Belgique.

Pour Stéphane Burton, CEO de Sabena Engineering, ce hangar « wide body » incarne l’ambition industrielle de long terme de l’entreprise. Il représente aussi un signal fort en faveur d’une réindustrialisation possible en Europe, portée par une synergie accrue entre le secteur privé et les autorités publiques.

Au-delà de l’aspect militaire, ce projet aura également un impact économique direct. Il prévoit la création d’environ 100 emplois, renforçant l’expertise technologique nationale et l’ancrage local de l’entreprise. À terme, Sabena Engineering – qui fait partie dugroupe Orizio – ambitionne d’atteindre entre 800 et 900 emplois en Belgique.

Enfin, ce développement industriel devrait aussi bénéficier au secteur civil. Des partenariats commerciaux, notamment avec les compagnies KLM et Ryanair, sont en cours de consolidation pour assurer la maintenance d’avions civils dans le même site.

[TLspotting]

See also : https://www.aviation24.be/military-airc ... bus-a400m/


NeyAndPartners_MaintenanceHangarMelsbroek_StyfhalsArchitects_Kardham_03render_WEBBIG©NeyAndPartners_Styfhals-Architects_Kardham-scaled.jpg


Neyandpartners_Loodsdefensie-6-c-persdienst-defensie-130735-scaled.jpg


Neyandpartners_Loodsdefensie-8-c-persdienst-defensie-145636-2048x922.jpg

H.A.

This was in 2019. Today was the Hangar 7, next to Hangar 6 (private aviation side).

[Miqvell]

New Terminal To Support Brussels Airport’s Long-Haul Push

Leon Verhallen : "Several major global gateways remain unserved, including Delhi, Sao Paulo, Riyadh, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Houston and destinations on the U.S. West Coast. There are also opportunities to further strengthen Brussels’ existing Sub-Saharan African network in cooperation with home carrier Brussels Airlines. Within Europe, BRU sees potential in markets such as Italy, Poland and Romania, where demand for direct connectivity to the Belgian capital remains underserved. While airlines are eager to seize growth opportunities, they are often confronted with delayed aircraft deliveries or unplanned maintenance, which can slow the pace of network expansion."

Source : Aviation Week

[Atlantis]

New Terminal To Support Brussels Airport’s Long-Haul Push

Leon Verhallen : "Several major global gateways remain unserved, including Delhi, Sao Paulo, Riyadh, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Houston and destinations on the U.S. West Coast. There are also opportunities to further strengthen Brussels’ existing Sub-Saharan African network in cooperation with home carrier Brussels Airlines. Within Europe, BRU sees potential in markets such as Italy, Poland and Romania, where demand for direct connectivity to the Belgian capital remains underserved. While airlines are eager to seize growth opportunities, they are often confronted with delayed aircraft deliveries or unplanned maintenance, which can slow the pace of network expansion."

Source : Aviation Week

Great, but this is always repeated by or Arnaud or Leon and this already for years. So what?
If they had the courage they would have invested a part of this 500 million Euro in Pier West instead of the green boulevard.

That's the only way they can support the home carrier and the hub function.

But here they expect also from SN to have much more planes. Yes, 15 or 17 LH would be much better than 13 bcs this will be mainly for Africa. Potential is Poland? Was it not the home carrier who started to fly less to WAW? And that's the only destination.

So, it's quite contradictory of what they wish and actually do. The B pier is already so saturated during the morning. Spreading and introducing waves is what is needed.

[Miqvell]

New Terminal To Support Brussels Airport’s Long-Haul Push

So, it's quite contradictory of what they wish and actually do. The B pier is already so saturated during the morning. Spreading and introducing waves is what is needed.

Further in the article it says Pier B capacity will be increased.

[Atlantis]

New Terminal To Support Brussels Airport’s Long-Haul Push

So, it's quite contradictory of what they wish and actually do. The B pier is already so saturated during the morning. Spreading and introducing waves is what is needed.

Further in the article it says Pier B capacity will be increased.

Which is indeed needed without A Pier West. They will start now to demolish the next 3 air bridges and replace them with the new ones, also here MARS will be implemented.

To increase the capacity is possible by putting back one of the closed gate many years ago. Also the airbridge was removed. In place came a parking for cargo trolleys.

A real expansion of Pier B cannot be as it was not included in the dismissed environmental permit.

What was new is the amount for the next growth of 3,5 billion euro. 500K we know for the Hub 3.0, but the next is impressive I have to say.

[Conti764]

So, it's quite contradictory of what they wish and actually do. The B pier is already so saturated during the morning. Spreading and introducing waves is what is needed.

Further in the article it says Pier B capacity will be increased.

Which is indeed needed without A Pier West. They will start now to demolish the next 3 air bridges and replace them with the new ones, also here MARS will be implemented.

To increase the capacity is possible by putting back one of the closed gate many years ago. Also the airbridge was removed. In place came a parking for cargo trolleys.

A real expansion of Pier B cannot be as it was not included in the dismissed environmental permit.

What was new is the amount for the next growth of 3,5 billion euro. 500K we know for the Hub 3.0, but the next is impressive I have to say.

What expansion do they envision with 3,5 billion euro? You'd build an entirely new airport for that amount

[Atlantis]

Further in the article it says Pier B capacity will be increased.

Which is indeed needed without A Pier West. They will start now to demolish the next 3 air bridges and replace them with the new ones, also here MARS will be implemented.

To increase the capacity is possible by putting back one of the closed gate many years ago. Also the airbridge was removed. In place came a parking for cargo trolleys.

A real expansion of Pier B cannot be as it was not included in the dismissed environmental permit.

What was new is the amount for the next growth of 3,5 billion euro. 500K we know for the Hub 3.0, but the next is impressive I have to say.

What expansion do they envision with 3,5 billion euro? You'd build an entirely new airport for that amount

Exactly, was thinking the same as there was only a reservation of 600 million for investments. This 3.5 billion euro was nowhere visible. I simply think that this is a mistake. Even for Belgium it would be unseen such an investment.

Look also at the title. It says: "new terminal to push long haul". In the article they don't mention anything about a new terminal.

Maybe there is something that we don't know. Don't forget that the environmental permit is dismissed but they can operate without for the next years.
Maybe with the new permit, under the new shareholder, something will comes out. I would not be surprised

[longwings]

Further in the article it says Pier B capacity will be increased.

How?! Short of removing all that retail that takes up so much space, I wonder.

[Atlantis]

Further in the article it says Pier B capacity will be increased.

How?! Short of removing all that retail that takes up so much space, I wonder.

What I believe is that this article is somehow fake. There will be no investment of 3,5 billion euro. Nobody has this money. But from where comes this amount? The investment of Flanders of 2,77 billion Euro + the 600 million which BRU can use till 2029 + 1 year for investments. 500 million will be used now.
This together comes close to 3,5 billion.

There will be also no new terminal as the title is saying for long haul only a big extension as we all know.

The increase of passengers capacity at the B pier is the big joke in that article. They refer to the 28 air bridges who are/will be renewed.

[luchtzak]

Correction / Right of Reply (from a reliable source, close to Brussels Airport):

The figure of €3.5 billion was never mentioned by Brussels Airport. This number originates from Aviation Week.

The only expansion projects currently communicated are:
• Hub 3.0 (including a new arrivals and departure hall), with a total budget of €0.5 billion.
• Additional capacity at Pier B, including upgrades to the boarding bridges (further details will follow in due course).
• Upgrade of the baggage handling system.
• Implementation of self bag drop.

No other investment figures in euros have been shared.

[BrightCedars]

A bit off topic but I didn't input the change of course

I guess with Pier A West it would be possible to make the current T gates area permanently long-haul/non-Schengen for use by all Star Alliance airlines and dedicate pier B to all other carriers for long-haul/non-Schengen traffic.

[Atlantis]

A bit off topic but I didn't input the change of course

I guess with Pier A West it would be possible to make the current T gates area permanently long-haul/non-Schengen for use by all Star Alliance airlines and dedicate pier B to all other carriers for long-haul/non-Schengen traffic.

No, move this to the new A Pier West. 14 to 15 gates will be there. Much better to accommodate the Star Alliance long haul.

[nordikcam]

A bit off topic but I didn't input the change of course

I guess with Pier A West it would be possible to make the current T gates area permanently long-haul/non-Schengen for use by all Star Alliance airlines and dedicate pier B to all other carriers for long-haul/non-Schengen traffic.

No, move this to the new A Pier West. 14 to 15 gates will be there. Much better to accommodate the Star Alliance long haul.

I thought that the idea of ​​an extension of Pier A West had been abandoned...if there are 14 or 15 new doors is that the idea is not abandoned?

[crew1990]

One thing for sure, in 2027, with a fleet of 13 aircraft, the T-terminal will not have the capacity to accomodate all the brussels airlines African departure if there is not a sencond wave in the planning.