Brussels Airport (BRU): Border control

[BrightCedars]

They have modernised the arrival area in the B pier, for non-Schengen passengers. The number of e-gates for Belgians is limited, the number of e-gates for foreigners is non existent! I've been thru e-gates as a Belgian in many airports around the world. Indonesia is a dream: you just scan your passport and walk through. You feel the wait for your luggage to arrive at the belt Here in Brussels, I accompanied my wife (non-EU citizen but with a Belgian electronic residency card) to the EU queue on Monday morning and it took like 1/2h for a short queue, 2-3 officers manning a potential 4 desks and catering to diplomats, crews, and eventually EU residents. Why can't they use the e-gates too? At least the luggage was already there when we reached the carousel, which personally I don't like for security concerns.
I have to admit I am very disappointed by the modernisation of the area; seems more like they just added room for longer queues!

[Airbus330lover]

That's one of the reasons why I enter the EU via MUC or VIE when returning from Asia. I avoid this kind of recurring problem. With 5/6 flights /year coming from Cambodia via SIN or BKK, plenty of choices.

[Atlantis]

Stay tuned for more updates and news regarding entry/exit border controls and put Brussels as a premium destination.
This after the US ambassador visited BRU today together with high representatives of the airlines, CEO of BRU and the Federal police.

[Stij]

Stay tuned for more updates and news regarding entry/exit border controls and put Brussels as a premium destination.
This after the US ambassador visited BRU today together with high representatives of the airlines, CEO of BRU and the Federal police.

The long expected DUB experience?

[TimTam]

The DUB experience would be worth implementing to bring some relief, but would only apply to flights to the USA (correct me if I am wrong).
At a time where travel to the US is slowing down for obvious reasons, I would not consider it a priority.
But better this than nothing.

For the staffing problems for immigration control in particular at BRU, I will venture into a proposal which cannot be put into practice overnight, but would perhaps help solve these problems, provided "our" politicians show some good will and do not let the project sleep for years or decades.
The idea would be to create within the Belgian Air Force, an administrative unit that COULD be called "Belgian Air Force Unit for Air Border Control". Easier said than done, I agree. It would imply, recruiting and training of an administrative component or unit to be kept motivated by "incentives" (to be defined) as the job might be considered boring. Again, if you apply for the job and are "hired", do not complain.
In addition these military service members would be submitted to military duty and discipline.
My two cents... just food for thought, or perhaps an avenue of reflection for a not too distant (?) future solution.

[JOVAN2]

Stay tuned for more updates and news regarding entry/exit border controls and put Brussels as a premium destination.
This after the US ambassador visited BRU today together with high representatives of the airlines, CEO of BRU and the Federal police.

No news re terrible problems at passport control in BRU.
Except bad news. Queues get longer. Politicians like Diependable, Quintin, the Ministrr of immigration etc... Mr Feist, Dorothea .. several airlines.. many newspapers and Aviation24.be report and express their anger and exasperation about the scandalous situation.

Nothing happens meanwhile..
Nada. Nougabollen.

I suggest BRU with Mr. Feist makes first move by adapting the lay out at arrival in Pier B.
More checking counters, a more intelligent use of the space availabe, eventually some expansion of the area. Many possibilities. Quick solutions possible.
You put some young architects (trainees ?) at work to bring solutions. No need for a Calatrava.

Or ask some PAX for suggestions.
Anyway who has travelled knows that other airports perform better in this regard.
Respect for PAX is a prominent rule in most places.

Federal Police seems to be the trouble maker ?
Don't they have to follow the instructions made by the responsible ministers ? .?

[Matt]

Stay tuned for more updates and news regarding entry/exit border controls and put Brussels as a premium destination.
This after the US ambassador visited BRU today together with high representatives of the airlines, CEO of BRU and the Federal police.

I suggest BRU with Mr. Feist makes first move by adapting the lay out at arrival in Pier B.
More checking counters, a more intelligent use of the space availabe, eventually some expansion of the area. Many possibilities. Quick solutions possible.

Yes, more checkin counters, with no one to man them. Top solution.

And yes, it is a problem, but the main problem is: man-power. No one wants to do this job.

[lumumba]

Stay tuned for more updates and news regarding entry/exit border controls and put Brussels as a premium destination.
This after the US ambassador visited BRU today together with high representatives of the airlines, CEO of BRU and the Federal police.

I suggest BRU with Mr. Feist makes first move by adapting the lay out at arrival in Pier B.
More checking counters, a more intelligent use of the space availabe, eventually some expansion of the area. Many possibilities. Quick solutions possible.

Yes, more checkin counters, with no one to man them. Top solution.

And yes, it is a problem, but the main problem is: man-power. No one wants to do this job.

If I understand correctly, the only solution is to reduce non-Schengen flights?!

[Matt]

I suggest BRU with Mr. Feist makes first move by adapting the lay out at arrival in Pier B.
More checking counters, a more intelligent use of the space availabe, eventually some expansion of the area. Many possibilities. Quick solutions possible.

Yes, more checkin counters, with no one to man them. Top solution.

And yes, it is a problem, but the main problem is: man-power. No one wants to do this job.

If I understand correctly, the only solution is to reduce non-Schengen flights?!

Or simply a better pay for the border controllers. (but those are scales (barema's) within the government and changing those is a challenge)

[lumumba]

Yes, more checkin counters, with no one to man them. Top solution.

And yes, it is a problem, but the main problem is: man-power. No one wants to do this job.

If I understand correctly, the only solution is to reduce non-Schengen flights?!

Or simply a better pay for the border controllers. (but those are scales (barema's) within the government and changing those is a challenge)

Also, today, everything is the opposite; we pay less and less, they are saving money everywhere.

[Atlantis]

I suggest BRU with Mr. Feist makes first move by adapting the lay out at arrival in Pier B.
More checking counters, a more intelligent use of the space availabe, eventually some expansion of the area. Many possibilities. Quick solutions possible.

Yes, more checkin counters, with no one to man them. Top solution.

And yes, it is a problem, but the main problem is: man-power. No one wants to do this job.

If I understand correctly, the only solution is to reduce non-Schengen flights?!

You never can reduce your income bcs of an own issue. You need to solve it and at the same time attracting more flights.

What we have with the Connector in one way, BTW, the Connector has 25 security lanes and is one of the biggest and most modern of Europe, we should have exactly the same one, but for the ones who arrives. Wide, high, spacious, daylight. Full of working e-gates and a few manned ones.
That would be a very useful investment instead of having a future green park in front of the airport. Just my idea.

[Atlantis]

Yes, more checkin counters, with no one to man them. Top solution.

And yes, it is a problem, but the main problem is: man-power. No one wants to do this job.

If I understand correctly, the only solution is to reduce non-Schengen flights?!

Or simply a better pay for the border controllers. (but those are scales (barema's) within the government and changing those is a challenge)

It also can be different. Look at The Netherlands. Specialized services like the Koninklijke Marechaussee are doing border control. They are a sub structure of Defense. This, from time to time, with customs.

There are possibilities, but you also need goodwill and guts to do it

[Matt]

If I understand correctly, the only solution is to reduce non-Schengen flights?!

Or simply a better pay for the border controllers. (but those are scales (barema's) within the government and changing those is a challenge)

It also can be different. Look at The Netherlands. Specialized services like the Koninklijke Marechaussee are doing border control. They are a sub structure of Defense. This, from time to time, with customs.

There are possibilities, but you also need goodwill and guts to do it

Not disputing that. But not sure if Belgian Defence wants to (or even can) do it. I don't know the legal aspect.

Of course, politics can always change the legal aspect

[Conti764]

If I understand correctly, the only solution is to reduce non-Schengen flights?!

Or simply a better pay for the border controllers. (but those are scales (barema's) within the government and changing those is a challenge)

It also can be different. Look at The Netherlands. Specialized services like the Koninklijke Marechaussee are doing border control. They are a sub structure of Defense. This, from time to time, with customs.

There are possibilities, but you also need goodwill and guts to do it

The Dutch KMar is what the Rijkswacht/Gendarmerie used to be here in Belgium. Some of those officers working at Brussels Airport border control are former gendarmes, they still have a favourable retirement plan from those days which isn't helping the situation either.

[Conti764]

Or simply a better pay for the border controllers. (but those are scales (barema's) within the government and changing those is a challenge)

It also can be different. Look at The Netherlands. Specialized services like the Koninklijke Marechaussee are doing border control. They are a sub structure of Defense. This, from time to time, with customs.

There are possibilities, but you also need goodwill and guts to do it

Not disputing that. But not sure if Belgian Defence wants to (or even can) do it. I don't know the legal aspect.

Of course, politics can always change the legal aspect

Border control is not a task for defence.

I'd rather see them putting in more E-gates and have private personel doing the checks. Apparently it once was on the table...

[sn26567]

It also can be different. Look at The Netherlands. Specialized services like the Koninklijke Marechaussee are doing border control.

It can also be the same in The Netherlands. Today, Schiphol's border control was in full chaos and 279 flights were delayed:

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... -shake-up/

[Atlantis]

It also can be different. Look at The Netherlands. Specialized services like the Koninklijke Marechaussee are doing border control.

It can also be the same in The Netherlands. Today, Schiphol's border control was in full chaos and 279 flights were delayed:

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... -shake-up/

And the same in Portugal a few days ago. People were queueing 4 hours for the border control.

Europe is a mess with all their regulations.

We miss efficiency