I cannot resist reproducing here an article just published in Aviation Week about the nes security procedures in BRU:
German Airport Group Rips BRU’s Enhanced Security
BRUSSELS—Brussels Airport (BRU) reopened for commercial passenger traffic 12 days after suicide bombers attacked its departure hall, but the new and vastly enhanced security procedures were criticized by the German airports association, ADV.
These procedures “cannot and must not be an example for German airports,” ADV CEO Ralph Beisel said. He described the introduction of several controls before entering the departure hall as “
a precipitous action under the shock of the attacks and under pressure from frightened workers.”
The security risk is not eliminated, he said, but “only displaced before the terminals.”
Germany’s airports do not have the right infrastructure to accommodate inspections outside the terminals, according to Beisel, who warned that a shift of checks to outside areas could “
even impair existing rescue and security concepts for instance by blocking access routes for ambulances, fire engines and the police cars.”
Following the March 22 dual-bombings that severely damaged BRU’s departure hall and killed more than 10 at the airport, management worked around the clock on a temporary solution that would allow the partial reopening of the facility. It built two big white tents and installed check-in desk at the bus station level in front of Terminal A, which was not damaged by the terror attacks.
Belgian federal police last week, however, threatened strikes if their demands for additional security measures were not met. Police unions and Belgium’s interior ministry reached a deal on April 1, clearing the way for a “symbolic” reopening of the airport on April 3 with just three passenger flights operated by Brussels Airlines.
Under the new system, only passengers with printed travel documents—those shown on electronic devices such as smartphones are not accepted—and ID cards/passports are allowed into the makeshift departure hall. All passengers and their bags are checked when entering the pre-check-in zone, where scanners have been installed. Once inside, travelers will still have to ascend via stairs to the airport building and go through the usual airside access and security controls before reaching their gates.
Luggage carts are available for use in transporting bags from the car parking lot to the entrance of the temporary departures hall, but they are not allowed in the temporary pre-check in zone, and passengers have to carry all baggage by hand.
The airport will initially only be accessible by car and taxi, and not by bus or train. There are random police inspections of cars on the airport’s approach road and a camera has been installed to check all vehicle license plates. The police unions wanted a systematic checks of cars, but this request was rejected to avoid traffic jams.
There will also be additional checks and screenings of all personnel working at the airport.
Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Co., recognized that this “
solution won’t offer the quality and comfort that passengers are used to at Brussels Airport” and he said he hopes the airport will be able to run at maximum capacity by the end of June or beginning of July. Demolition work in the damaged departure hall has started and in the coming weeks, the airport operator will be developing a strategic plan for the reconstruction of the departure hall. This will take place in two stages. The first stage will be focused on restoring the functionality of several check-in desks in the departure hall. In the second stage, the work will targeted toward a comprehensive reopening of the departure hall. The arrivals hall was only slightly damaged and repairs have been completed. Brussels Airlines scheduled 20 flights from BRU on April 4, only 10% of its normal daily flight schedule of about 200 flights. The Star Alliance member has diverted several of its flights to the regional Belgian airports of Liege and Antwerp since the terror attacks (Aviation Daily, March 23).
http://aviationweek.com/commercial-avia ... d-security
My comment: this shows again that the actions by the airport police unions were excessive and irresponsible.
It was posted here on Luchtzak this morning: 
