Brussels Airport (BRU) infrastructure: future

[Established02]

06JUL2024 - The new parking tower for staff and car rental companies.

[Boavida]

Schiphol 6 billion investment plan:

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... er-growth/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGmZO5HPpxs

New terminal, new pier, renovation of old parts, new bagroom, renovation baggage system, etc etc etc....

Oh, and a new bus station too (compare this to the BRU one….)

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... e-by-2027/





Basically every major European airport is currently renovating or building new infrastructure.



Meanwhile at BRU...



Complete radio silence.

The very vague fantasy 'Vision 2040' project was quietly buried and replaced by an even vaguer and ambitionless "Shift 2027", with not a *single* infrastructure plan or project... Not a single. Meanwhile passengers who are dropped off must still pass the "temporary" tent (I repeat: a tent) and the awful bus “station” to get to the terminal, since 2016...

I'm going to post the picture again.

This is the entrance to Brussels Airport ('The heart of Europe') for thousands of passengers a day.

The main entrance. To an international airport. In 2024.

[b720]

Schiphol 6 billion investment plan:

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... er-growth/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGmZO5HPpxs

New terminal, new pier, renovation of old parts, new bagroom, renovation baggage system, etc etc etc....

Oh, and a new bus station too (compare this to the BRU one….)

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... e-by-2027/





Basically every major European airport is currently renovating or building new infrastructure.



Meanwhile at BRU...



Complete radio silence.

The very vague fantasy 'Vision 2040' project was quietly buried and replaced by an even vaguer and ambitionless "Shift 2027", with not a *single* infrastructure plan or project... Not a single. Meanwhile passengers who are dropped off must still pass the "temporary" tent (I repeat: a tent) and the awful bus “station” to get to the terminal, since 2016...

I'm going to post the picture again.

This is the entrance to Brussels Airport ('The heart of Europe') for thousands of passengers a day.

The main entrance. To an international airport. In 2024.

The intercity bus station is really a disgrace. Middle of nowhere, and more importantly no shelter! When it rains one can get soaked waiting for the bus.

[Conti764]

Schiphol 6 billion investment plan:

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... er-growth/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGmZO5HPpxs

New terminal, new pier, renovation of old parts, new bagroom, renovation baggage system, etc etc etc....

Oh, and a new bus station too (compare this to the BRU one….)

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... e-by-2027/





Basically every major European airport is currently renovating or building new infrastructure.



Meanwhile at BRU...



Complete radio silence.

The very vague fantasy 'Vision 2040' project was quietly buried and replaced by an even vaguer and ambitionless "Shift 2027", with not a *single* infrastructure plan or project... Not a single. Meanwhile passengers who are dropped off must still pass the "temporary" tent (I repeat: a tent) and the awful bus “station” to get to the terminal, since 2016...

I'm going to post the picture again.

This is the entrance to Brussels Airport ('The heart of Europe') for thousands of passengers a day.

The main entrance. To an international airport. In 2024.

To be fair, can you at least post a more recent picture? These lines exist nog longer and soldiers are gone at the airport.

And to add to that, all the renovations at AMS don't change the fact that is still remains an overcrowded horendous airport.

[lumumba]

Schiphol 6 billion investment plan:

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... er-growth/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGmZO5HPpxs

New terminal, new pier, renovation of old parts, new bagroom, renovation baggage system, etc etc etc....

Oh, and a new bus station too (compare this to the BRU one….)

https://www.aviation24.be/airports/amst ... e-by-2027/





Basically every major European airport is currently renovating or building new infrastructure.



Meanwhile at BRU...



Complete radio silence.

The very vague fantasy 'Vision 2040' project was quietly buried and replaced by an even vaguer and ambitionless "Shift 2027", with not a *single* infrastructure plan or project... Not a single. Meanwhile passengers who are dropped off must still pass the "temporary" tent (I repeat: a tent) and the awful bus “station” to get to the terminal, since 2016...

I'm going to post the picture again.

This is the entrance to Brussels Airport ('The heart of Europe') for thousands of passengers a day.

The main entrance. To an international airport. In 2024.

To be fair, can you at least post a more recent picture? These lines exist nog longer and soldiers are gone at the airport.

And to add to that, all the renovations at AMS don't change the fact that is still remains an overcrowded horendous airport.

That's true besides BRU is a very convenient and confortable airport.
Still some problems with taxis and border control.

[Boavida]

To be fair, can you at least post a more recent picture? These lines exist nog longer and soldiers are gone at the airport.

For the record: I'm not talking or complaining about the lines, but the infrastructure. There are no lines today, but the infrastructure is still as on the picture...

[Atlantis]

I agree on the comments but AMS is a completely other league. BRU cannot afford such money. The budget/finance of BRU is still very fragile and also the shareholders are not eager to invest too much.

But, the pax at AMS will feel this. Part of the investment they have to pay.

Second. As soon as the new parking at BRU is finished, car rental can move. This will free the space for the full new construction which is already prepared. But also here, we saw the plans already 2 years ago and still....nothing. pity bcs it looks amazing.

But I agree with you comments.

[Atlantis]

The new bus station at Schiphol was already much earlier announced. Aviation24 was weeks behind it with an article.

I'm sorry but that seems hardly adding anything to the real discussion here. It's now 8 years since the 22/3 attacks. It's also 8 years without a proper 'point of entry' to the BRU terminal. The redesigned former car/taxi drop-off at departures level? Sorry but it's the "super light of the most light of all" options that I've seen as when I had a bit of a privileged position back in 2016 to see concept designs of this space. The first year on a sunny day you were completely blinded by the white paint used and today it still looks like 'there was a road here - but we put some plants, so it's nice, right?!'- please...
Then the the car drop-off and bus station? It's not worthy for the volume of people entries it handles for an airport the size of BRU! Yes we all know it's temporary until a state of the art intermobility hub will be constructed (which, no sarcasm, will be GREAT for the airport) - but it's now also 8 years being one of the biggest point of entries to the BRU terminal - yet one of the most miserable in Europe looking at equally sized airports.

I'm the first to defend BRU as an airport and as a hub to whoever I speak to, but denying some of these basics is really poor... And the worst part of it all, BAC has the money to invest in those things. They just don't want to because it's not delivering a clear and direct return on their investment.

You're definitely there to raise concerns (and very often you're totally right too) on e.g. SN's moves at BRU and how it doesn't help for how BRU wants to develop. Yeah sure - but that's a discussion that really 100% goes both ways!

This is true of course. Everything takes time, but too long. The plans are there, we saw them. But no clue why it is not presented yet, why the tenders are not going out. Everything is ready.

There is 600 million euro to be used before the end of this year for investments. And that money is only for investments.

But the local, Flemish and federal government are also not very helpful by being slow bcs BRU want but needs approval from them to even do something. Probably it has also to do if the new permit will be granted or not. This we will know next week.

I agree with all issues which were said before, let's hope that it will change soon.

Update regarding the 600 million euro credit line only for investments. It was available till the end of this year. Now it's prolonged till 2028 with the possibility to extend it for another 2 years.

[sn26567]

Update regarding the 600 million euro credit line only for investments. It was available till the end of this year. Now it's prolonged till 2028 with the possibility to extend it for another 2 years.

As the Italians say: "chi va piano va sano" !

[lumumba]

I don't understand the infrastructure at Brussels Airport is very good and nice there is nothing big to do that is my feeling has passenger.

They are changing the jetways even that was not an emergency in my opinion but welcome.

[Atlantis]

I don't understand the infrastructure at Brussels Airport is very good and nice there is nothing big to do that is my feeling has passenger.

They are changing the jetways even that was not an emergency in my opinion but welcome.

The air bridges are at the end of their life cycle, 25 years old. They need to be replaced.

When you come by car and park in one of the car towers then you enter the airport indeed via the very nicer looking main entrance.

The problem lays under it, those ones who come by public transport, taxi, rental car, hotel shuttle and drop off. That place is ugly.

[longwings]

I don't understand the infrastructure at Brussels Airport is very good and nice there is nothing big to do that is my feeling has passenger.

Setting aside the U-shape of the two terminals that maximizes distances for connecting passengers, air-side at Brussels airport is overall in very decent shape (Non-Schengen arrival is kinda drab but otherwise good enough).

Public transport, passenger pick-up and drop-off, car rental, are abysmal by European standards. Some of it has been like that for decades, and it's been only worse since the 2016 attack in the name of an illusory security buffer.

[lumumba]

I don't understand the infrastructure at Brussels Airport is very good and nice there is nothing big to do that is my feeling has passenger.

They are changing the jetways even that was not an emergency in my opinion but welcome.

The air bridges are at the end of their life cycle, 25 years old. They need to be replaced.

When you come by car and park in one of the car towers then you enter the airport indeed via the very nicer looking main entrance.

The problem lays under it, those ones who come by public transport, taxi, rental car, hotel shuttle and drop off. That place is ugly.

But it's an airport, it must not be beautiful, it must be efficient this concrete ceiling does not disturb.
I always come with public transport I come with the train.

[lumumba]

I don't understand the infrastructure at Brussels Airport is very good and nice there is nothing big to do that is my feeling has passenger.

Setting aside the U-shape of the two terminals that maximizes distances for connecting passengers, air-side at Brussels airport is overall in very decent shape (Non-Schengen arrival is kinda drab but otherwise good enough).

Public transport, passenger pick-up and drop-off, car rental, are abysmal by European standards. Some of it has been like that for decades, and it's been only worse since the 2016 attack in the name of an illusory security buffer.

There you are right the drop off zone is fare ugly and it's a mess for to long now.
But if I understood correctly it was supposed to be a temporary solution?

[Polish24]

I don't understand the infrastructure at Brussels Airport is very good and nice there is nothing big to do that is my feeling has passenger.

Setting aside the U-shape of the two terminals that maximizes distances for connecting passengers, air-side at Brussels airport is overall in very decent shape (Non-Schengen arrival is kinda drab but otherwise good enough).

Public transport, passenger pick-up and drop-off, car rental, are abysmal by European standards. Some of it has been like that for decades, and it's been only worse since the 2016 attack in the name of an illusory security buffer.

I would say the "air-side" part of the airport is very good. Pier A is nice and modern and Pier B is still pretty ok. The departure hall needs renovtion/expansion as its too small and still in the early 90s style, dark and with low ceiling, but from what I understood the plans are in place for the expansion of the departure hall/terminal in direction of the ol DHL site next to the drop off zone. The problem with the outside infrastructure is something that you see very often in Belgium, also with road or railway infrastructure and it is: lack of periodic maintenance. The infrastrucute is being renovated very often only when its completely deteriorated.

[b720]

I don't understand the infrastructure at Brussels Airport is very good and nice there is nothing big to do that is my feeling has passenger.

Setting aside the U-shape of the two terminals that maximizes distances for connecting passengers, air-side at Brussels airport is overall in very decent shape (Non-Schengen arrival is kinda drab but otherwise good enough).

Public transport, passenger pick-up and drop-off, car rental, are abysmal by European standards. Some of it has been like that for decades, and it's been only worse since the 2016 attack in the name of an illusory security buffer.

I would say the "air-side" part of the airport is very good. Pier A is nice and modern and Pier B is still pretty ok. The departure hall needs renovtion/expansion as its too small and still in the early 90s style, dark and with low ceiling, but from what I understood the plans are in place for the expansion of the departure hall/terminal in direction of the ol DHL site next to the drop off zone. The problem with the outside infrastructure is something that you see very often in Belgium, also with road or railway infrastructure and it is: lack of periodic maintenance. The infrastrucute is being renovated very often only when its completely deteriorated.

Yeah., agree .. terminal dep. and arrival area ok. Airside too, very user friendly. Well organised, clean and tidy.. Parking area as well.. and the train station (except for the ridiculous never functioning self scan access to the platforms) The bus area and drop off zone on the other hand should be re-done.

[lumumba]

I don't understand the infrastructure at Brussels Airport is very good and nice there is nothing big to do that is my feeling has passenger.

Setting aside the U-shape of the two terminals that maximizes distances for connecting passengers, air-side at Brussels airport is overall in very decent shape (Non-Schengen arrival is kinda drab but otherwise good enough).

Public transport, passenger pick-up and drop-off, car rental, are abysmal by European standards. Some of it has been like that for decades, and it's been only worse since the 2016 attack in the name of an illusory security buffer.

I would say the "air-side" part of the airport is very good. Pier A is nice and modern and Pier B is still pretty ok. The departure hall needs renovtion/expansion as its too small and still in the early 90s style, dark and with low ceiling, but from what I understood the plans are in place for the expansion of the departure hall/terminal in direction of the ol DHL site next to the drop off zone. The problem with the outside infrastructure is something that you see very often in Belgium, also with road or railway infrastructure and it is: lack of periodic maintenance. The infrastrucute is being renovated very often only when its completely deteriorated.

But today the departure hall with self check in and drop off there is no need to enlarge it, it is never full.
I'm even not sure the old terminal is always in use with big spare place there.

[lumumba]

To be fair, can you at least post a more recent picture? These lines exist nog longer and soldiers are gone at the airport.

For the record: I'm not talking or complaining about the lines, but the infrastructure. There are no lines today, but the infrastructure is still as on the picture...

Chaotic arrival today till 4 hours waiting to get true border control!

[vbry]

It's remarkable that most of the recent investments are going to non-pax upgrades. Examples are: Compass employee office building, renovation of Skyhall for BAC events, new P30 parking tower for crew, etc. Also earlier this year, renovation started at the beginning of the arrivals curb but only covering the location at the offices, whereas the effective arrivals curb at the passenger terminal and bus station remain untouched and this for decades. (https://www.brusselsairport.be/brussels ... tly-closed)

[Atlantis]

It's remarkable that most of the recent investments are going to non-pax upgrades. Examples are: Compass employee office building, renovation of Skyhall for BAC events, new P30 parking tower for crew, etc. Also earlier this year, renovation started at the beginning of the arrivals curb but only covering the location at the offices, whereas the effective arrivals curb at the passenger terminal and bus station remain untouched and this for decades. (https://www.brusselsairport.be/brussels ... tly-closed)

Not remarkable at all if you know the Shift 2027 after Covid. All airports, not only BRU, are going for diversification. Real Estate brings in a lot of money. With only aviation related you will not make it anymore.

There will be soon a big event regard real estate in general. BRU will be present too and outline their future with real estate.