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

[Passenger]

I agree, except for this:

Those who decide such extensive security measures are overreacting IMO. They are opening political umbrellas protecting their position and making believe they are acting with sense. Wether the place is secure is debatable, but what is sure is that it's commercially untenable.

Politicians and trade accept that there is a certain safety risk to keep the airport - and actually the whole country - commercially tenable. The problem with the actual situation at Brussels Airport is that it's the Belgian police unions are playing a dirty game. There is a meeting about the check-in problems between the Belgian minister of Interior and the police unions tomorrow Thursday. Let's hope that the unions stop their power play against minister Jambon because of the pension plans of the government.

[scotty65]

Does anyone know what the current transfer situation is like? From B to B gates? Thanks

[sn26567]

Welcome to Luchtzak, Scotty65!

Does anyone know what the current transfer situation is like? From B to B gates? Thanks

https://www.brusselsairport2203.be/en/i ... assengers/

[scotty65]

Welcome to Luchtzak, Scotty65!

Does anyone know what the current transfer situation is like? From B to B gates? Thanks

https://www.brusselsairport2203.be/en/i ... assengers/

Thank you! Been reading for a while and thought I would join in.

I have seen this link, but really wondering if anyone had any first hand experience of transferring recently and whether to expect anything different from normal? Increased queues etc. Many thanks

[sn-remember]

From gates B to any gates (transit), I don't understand why a security control is needed as it was already performed at the airport of origin .. ? Probably deemed insufficient ?

[scotty65]

So no security required from B gates to B gates?

[Poiu]

B to B: security only
A to B or T: pasport control only
B to A: passport and security
A tot A: no controls

[barnabelg]

Yes, there is a security check when transfering from B to B (and there always has been). The only transfer passengers not going through security are the ones arriving at the A gates (from Schengen destinations) since they arrive from "safe" countries.
This is how it works in most Europeans airports BTW.

[sn26567]

From 2 May, all Jetairfly flights will be back in BRU.

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/jetairf ... day-may-2/

[b720]

At some airports within the schengen zone Pax arriving from the US and connecting into Schengen destinations do not go through security, just passport control. e.g. ZRH.

[sn-remember]

Anyway, there WILL be a control of the baggage BEFORE entering the departure hall, in a new provisional structure in front of the hall.

So there are 2 baggage controls, one outside and the second one inside the departure hall ...if I understand correctly ?
And if you only have cabin luggage you can directly proceed to security I suppose ? In which case, nothing changed from pre-attacks then ... ?

[Charlie Roy]

RE: According to Raphaël Meulders in La Libre Belgique, the departures hall could reopen next Monday (2 May).

This is great news! And just in time for return of most services next week, as well as the huge rush of passengers expected next Wednesday evening / Thursday morning.

However, you only need one bottle neck to make next Wednesday evening / Thursday morning a nightmare: the police road checks, the baggage tent checks, the regular security checks before the departure gates etc etc.

Let's hope all parts of the chain will be ready for the huge surge in passengers next Wednesday evening / Thursday morning.

[JOVAN]

Let me concur to the wise words of T. Tyler CEO of IATA :
" Extending the security perimeter, as some have suggested, is not the solution. Look at what the pre-screening has done at Brussels Airport. It’s created large and dense crowds that could be targeted. Not to mention the huge inconvenience to people who want to travel. (..)
The focus surely has to be a return to normality as soon as possible. And by normality I mean ensuring that the airport doesn’t have artificial restrictions on its capacity just to reduce the queues. People want and need to travel. Normality means meeting that demand."

Those who decide such extensive security measures are overreacting IMO. They are opening political umbrellas protecting their position and making believe they are acting with sense. Wether the place is secure is debatable, but what is sure is that it's commercially untenable .
Also at crl I don't understand the measures taken ... Why should they separate the arrival s from the departure flows ? Why do they forbid (are they still ?) access to the car parking nearby ? As well as dropping people&luggage in front of the terminal ? What's the problem ? Is it still forbidden ?
It all makes no sense , really.

Airports struggle in a very competitive environment, they have to outperform the competitors offering to survive, here they are doing the opposite .. no way it can work !

Absolutely correct. I have left from CRL : chaos and pure amateurism.

The police, security people , customs etc. do NOT know how to handle the situation.
The result is ridiculously long queues.
Indeed dense crowds that can be ideal targets.

This is a disaster . The way it is handled is putting the Belgian airports 10 years back.

[sn26567]

You think Brussels is bad? Read the following:

Due to the cancellation of the Daylight Saving time (DST) in Egypt, EGYPTAIR calls for its customers to be present at the airport 4 hours prior to the international flights and 2 hours prior to the domestic flights timing.

[teach]

You think Brussels is bad? Read the following:

Due to the cancellation of the Daylight Saving time (DST) in Egypt, EGYPTAIR calls for its customers to be present at the airport 4 hours prior to the international flights and 2 hours prior to the domestic flights timing.

Let's not use Egypt of all places as the benchmark...

[lumumba]

You think Brussels is bad? Read the following:

Due to the cancellation of the Daylight Saving time (DST) in Egypt, EGYPTAIR calls for its customers to be present at the airport 4 hours prior to the international flights and 2 hours prior to the domestic flights timing.

Brussels compete with Dusseldorf,Amsterdam,CDG etc... that's where we have to look.

[Passenger]

You think Brussels is bad? Read the following:

Due to the cancellation of the Daylight Saving time (DST) in Egypt, EGYPTAIR calls for its customers to be present at the airport 4 hours prior to the international flights and 2 hours prior to the domestic flights timing.

Let's not use Egypt of all places as the benchmark...

Agree with you: Egypt is not the benchmark. But then, that word wasn't used in the above post.

"3 hours" really seems to be the benchmark nowadays. Even at airports in far away countries that have no recent history of terrorism: Johannesburg: People travelling internationally are advised to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to their departure time. Cape Town: Arrive at the airport timeously to avoid any delays; 1h30mins for Domestic flights and 2h30mins for International flights.
http://www.airports.co.za/airports/or-t ... ravel-tips

[lumumba]

You think Brussels is bad? Read the following:

Due to the cancellation of the Daylight Saving time (DST) in Egypt, EGYPTAIR calls for its customers to be present at the airport 4 hours prior to the international flights and 2 hours prior to the domestic flights timing.

Let's not use Egypt of all places as the benchmark...

Agree with you: Egypt is not the benchmark. But then, that word wasn't used in the above post.

"3 hours" really seems to be the benchmark nowadays. Even at airports in far away countries that have no recent history of terrorism: Johannesburg: People travelling internationally are advised to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to their departure time. Cape Town: Arrive at the airport timeously to avoid any delays; 1h30mins for Domestic flights and 2h30mins for International flights.
http://www.airports.co.za/airports/or-t ... ravel-tips

Passenger you have to stop that I travel often true Johannesburg and it's one of the most easy airport I use.

It's also one of my favorite has a plane spotter but that is another storie...

[Passenger]

"3 hours" really seems to be the benchmark nowadays. Even at airports in far away countries that have no recent history of terrorism: Johannesburg: People travelling internationally are advised to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to their departure time. Cape Town: Arrive at the airport timeously to avoid any delays; 1h30mins for Domestic flights and 2h30mins for International flights.
http://www.airports.co.za/airports/or-t ... ravel-tips

Passenger you have to stop that I travel often true Johannesburg and it's one of the most easy airport I use.

Actually, I know South Africa also. The very old Jan Smuts was OK. The old Johannesburg International Airport was hell. The new Ortia is better, but isn't as good as the very old one for departing international travellers with luggage. Specially late afternoon when all passengers for intra-Europe flights check in at the same time.

[lumumba]

"3 hours" really seems to be the benchmark nowadays. Even at airports in far away countries that have no recent history of terrorism: Johannesburg: People travelling internationally are advised to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to their departure time. Cape Town: Arrive at the airport timeously to avoid any delays; 1h30mins for Domestic flights and 2h30mins for International flights.
http://www.airports.co.za/airports/or-t ... ravel-tips

Passenger you have to stop that I travel often true Johannesburg and it's one of the most easy airport I use.

Actually, I know South Africa also. The very old Jan Smuts was OK. The old Johannesburg International Airport was hell. The new Ortia is better, but isn't as good as the very old one for departing international travellers with luggage. Specially late afternoon when all passengers for intra-Europe flights check in at the same time.

I have to admit that I never travel with a luggage.