[Pics] The founder of Aviation24.be makes his last flight as a steward

This 15 February 2023 is a memorable day in the life of Bart Noëth: active for more than 25 years in the aviation sector, he made his last flight as a flight attendant before taking on new challenges.

A lot of emotion on board Brussels Airlines flights SN2257 from Brussels to Copenhagen and SN2258 from Copenhagen back to Brussels (operated by Airbus A319 registered OO-SSX): these are the last flights that Bart Noëth, the founder of Aviation24.be, made as flight attendant. He will now leave the aviation sector to take on a new professional challenge.

During flight SN2258, the captain made a nice announcement about Bart’s departure, thanked him for a long part of his life devoted to Brussels Airlines and wished him success in his new life. As a farewell gesture, Bart himself offered a drink to all passengers, who in return made a big applause.

Aviation is taking an end in Bart’s life, but not the website. The adventure continues, better than ever!

Bart Noëth’s career in aviation

Bart started working in the aviation sector in 1996, a weekend job at Sabena Cleaning. In 1997 he trained as a flight attendant with Belgium’s flagship airline Sabena and soon climbed the ladder, literally and figuratively, by becoming a steward for Delta Air Transport (DAT), the regional subsidiary of Sabena. He became a purser in November 1998, flying the infamous Avro BAe146, RJ85 and RJ100 4-engine regional jets of which the Sabena group was the largest user.

After the Sabena bankruptcy in 2001, a new airline, SN Brussels Airlines, was soon set up based on DAT’s fleet of 26 Avro “Jumbolino” aircraft. Bart was of course part of the adventure.

2001 was also the year when Bart founded an aviation website called luchtzak.be. “Luchtzak” (a Dutch word that literally means “air bag”) is a nickname given to stewards. That year, Bart broke his leg in an accident and was housebound for several months. To kill time, he created this website of a single page at the beginning.

The website developed at the same rate as the new airline: long-haul flights on A330, medium-haul flights on A319 and later A320, merger with Virgin Express into Brussels Airlines, acquisition by Lufthansa, etc. The airline changed names, and so did the website, which became Aviation24.be and which, in the meantime, has ensured the collaboration of several people active in its various sections (forums, news pages, …).

The two last flights

The last departure from Brussels (video)

Fond memories