Brussels Airport is a delight.

[Atlantis]

Always nice to read this when it comes from the business.

http://www.eturbonews.com/13491/brussel ... rt-delight

[SabenaForever]

Nice to Read..
I am proud of Brussels Airport !
With Schiphol, one of the best airports in Europe, i think!

[Vinnie-Winnie]

Only part of the story.

They talk about

- the B terminal being a short hop from luggage carrousel and the exit Totally agree
- A terminal being good for conenctions between Africa and Europe Totally agree

But what about check-in to A terminal? Awful! never walked soo much for soo little purpose! Especially the going up down and up again which is a total waste of space and time.

[RoMax]

But what about check-in to A terminal? Awful! never walked soo much for soo little purpose! Especially the going up down and up again which is a total waste of space and time.

The reason for that is because you need to go underground to go to the A-pier and after that you have to go up to go in the A-pier. They could connect the terminal with the A-pier on the ground in order of underground but than there would be a kind of corridor on the place where now is a part of the tarmac.
So for pax it is a wast of time, but for the airport operations it is perfect.

[JOVAN]

This journalist was invited by Star Alliance, at the occasion of SN becoming member.

Nice Hotel, good food .... the typical guest writers approach.

You will find other articles on the site describing all the good things you can imagine about Brussels,*A,...etc

So take it with a 'korrel' salt....

[regi]

hold on, wait a second, just about the Sheraton hotel he makes a complaint. Read the article again please.

[Vinnie-Winnie]

The reason for that is because you need to go underground to go to the A-pier and after that you have to go up to go in the A-pier.

I know that I'm a user as well you know?

They could connect the terminal with the A-pier on the ground in order of underground but than there would be a kind of corridor on the place where now is a part of the tarmac.

Well what about a bridge over the taxiway? More clever less walking easier, faster for a lot of people including families with little children, elderly...

I know they can't revert to the old situation but seriously how stupid was that?

So for pax it is a wast of time, but for the airport operations it is perfect.

How so? Probably need to employ more staff to assist these elderly people + lot more maintenance with these escalators and lifts. The only advantage I see is that underground it is easier to have more luggage and people screening facilities than above ground. But even that i'm not convinced;

Point is give me terminal B any time. I'm flying out on Sundqy from the A terminal and not really looking forward to it at all.

[Vinnie-Winnie]

So take it with a 'korrel' salt....

Pinch of salt

[JOVAN]

hold on, wait a second, just about the Sheraton hotel he makes a complaint. Read the article again please.

You are 2 wars behind my dear.

Read his other articles on the website and you will find out he stayed in more luxurious places in Brussels.

Read more please.

[Conti764]

Well what about a bridge over the taxiway? More clever less walking easier, faster for a lot of people including families with little children, elderly...

I know they can't revert to the old situation but seriously how stupid was that?

Are you serious? Now what kind of bridge would that be? The highest tail around is the A380 with 24,1 meter (not likely to be seen at BRU) and the 747 tail is 19,4 meter. That would mean they'd have to construct a bridge with the floor being at at least 25 meter, result: climbing up a stair to get up, and climbing down a stair to get down again, and this with a bigger difference in hight then the current construction. The walk wouldn't be shorter neither.

So for pax it is a wast of time, but for the airport operations it is perfect.

How so? Probably need to employ more staff to assist these elderly people + lot more maintenance with these escalators and lifts. The only advantage I see is that underground it is easier to have more luggage and people screening facilities than above ground. But even that i'm not convinced;[/quote]

Now what difference could a bridge bring to this situation? You just turn around the order of going up and down, and not to speak about the pax screening area.

Of course, they could just build a corridor at ground level but that would be highly unefficent since they could not construct gates to this corridor due to security issues and it would mean loosing a taxiway. Not that big of an issue, but what happens if an obstruction of the taxiway adjacent to 25R/7L would occur?

One solution might be to have an underground people mover going between the terminal building and the A concourse.

[Conti764]

he typical guest writers approach.

And if it would be about Frankfurt or Schiphol, you would be chearing how the writer proves these airports are great and efficient while Brussels is lightyears behind...

[RoMax]

he typical guest writers approach.

And if it would be about Frankfurt or Schiphol, you would be chearing how the writer proves these airports are great and efficient while Brussels is lightyears behind...

Indeed.

Most of you are ALWAYS negative about Brussels Aiport and Brussels Airlines. But be serious. Brussels Airport is often chosen as best European Airport in his catagory, it has a modern A-pier...
Brussels Airlines, often priced for their punctuality and very good, competent staff, a lounge in the top 50 of the world...
It can be better, much much better, but be happy with the things we have. Be serious we can be proud on both Brussels Airport and SN, not in all ways but for sure on some things.

[Vinnie-Winnie]

According to me both the main entrance and the A terminal are actually quite high compared to the ground. Therefore a lot less staircases, steps... needed to make the bridge high enough to let A 747 or other plane pass below.

Secondly since DHL moved most of its ops to Leipzig I've seen less and less need for that space in between terminals. might as well make cargo aircraft land on 25R or make them taxi parallel to 25R.

Again I quite like BRU airport and again need to checkwhat I say in practice if I have time on Sunday.

[Conti764]

According to me both the main entrance and the A terminal are actually quite high compared to the ground. Therefore a lot less staircases, steps... needed to make the bridge high enough to let A 747 or other plane pass below.

Correct, but then again, you'd still need to take those stairs. It doens't change much accept for some fewer stairs maybe. Another thing you should consider is the fact the tunnel was already available when they started costructing the A-pier, so it was there to use.

Anyway, I don't see much of an issue when all stairs you'd have to take between the terminal and the A-concourse are escalators and the elevators are very close. The distance you'd have walk remains equal.

A solution could be some sort of people mover in the tunnel between the terminal and the A-pier, but then again, the people who would have the most advantage of this system can rely on Intergom to take them on their electrocars.

Secondly since DHL moved most of its ops to Leipzig I've seen less and less need for that space in between terminals. might as well make cargo aircraft land on 25R or make them taxi parallel to 25R.

Yes, but when - in time - the A-pier western part opens, traffic via this part of the airport will rise again.

[Comet]

From the point of view of a foreign visitor, BRU is a very good airport. I have always been impressed with the efficiency - quick from aircraft to arrivals and then not too long to wait to collect luggage (when British Airways bother to put it on the plane!) The railway station with the direct link to Brussels is also very good, something that the vast majority of UK airports do not have.

Also it is nice to find an airport where you can buy a hot meal before you go through to the departure lounge. The information provided at BRU is good too.

Try using a truly awful airport like Newcastle before you deride Brussels.

[airazurxtror]

So for pax it is a wast of time, but for the airport operations it is perfect.

And that is the main thing.
There are still a few people thinking that the airport is made for the passengers' convenience. How naïve of them !

[stefanel]

As I've always said, it is totally stupid to have the majority of traffic from the farthest part of the airport (pier A). It is so frustrating to take a short flight and have to walk up to 1km when you are at the last gate of pier A.

Second thing : how about the lack of friendliness of Brussels staff and barely hidden "Flamingantism"?
I've never seen ruder and in such a bad mood staff, honestly.

Of course, it is a good airport but it could be much better.

[Stij]

As I've always said, it is totally stupid to have the majority of traffic from the farthest part of the airport (pier A). It is so frustrating to take a short flight and have to walk up to 1km when you are at the last gate of pier A.

Second thing : how about the lack of friendliness of Brussels staff and barely hidden "Flamingantism"?
I've never seen ruder and in such a bad mood staff, honestly.

Of course, it is a good airport but it could be much better.

Personally I don't mind the walk at all, just when I return and need to run fr my train connection it bugs me.

Funny how perceptions can differ: I sometimes have a problem with the inability or refusal to speak Dutch in places like the Starbucks or the Quick at BRU... But maybe we should all be a little bit more tolerant and comprehensive...

Cheers,

Stij

[Conti764]

Second thing : how about the lack of friendliness of Brussels staff and barely hidden "Flamingantism"?
I've never seen ruder and in such a bad mood staff, honestly.

Your 'Flamingantism' doesn't excist at the airport, period. Maybe some individuals, but you cannot control this and for sure it isn't an item that should drag the airports reputation down.

On the contrary, many passengers compliment the fact they can be helped in three to four different languages at the airport, something you don't see very often at other airports.

[airazurxtror]

I sometimes have a problem with the inability or refusal to speak Dutch in places like the Starbucks or the Quick at BRU... But maybe we should all be a little bit more tolerant and comprehensive...

I suggest it's inability rather than refusal.
Work at the airport is not easy : for instance, the shops opening hours are from 7 am (or even earlier - 4h30 at Starbuck, I think) to 8 pm (sometimes later), all year round including week-ends and public holidays. Not everybody is willing to work on such a demanding time table, and sometimes there are workers that are not as qualified as they should be, because nobody else can be hired ...
As regards languages, most employees at the airport speak at least two or three languages - it may be that a few don't speak Dutch, but I have also met some that don't speak French ... on the other side, quite a few of them can speak English, German, Italian, Spanish, ... or even Chinese !
(At Starbucks, many employees are Asiatic, at Quick, many North-African, who don't know much Dutch, it's a fact ...)