BRU: Schengen Bus Arrivals drop-off at pier A - why?

[SmilingBoy]

I arrived from HAJ last week, and since it was a remote stand, we were bussed to the terminal. However, unlike my previous remote stand arrivals (which admittedly were more than one year ago), we were not dropped off close to the exit at pier B, but at pier A. This was very annoying as we had to walk all the way through the tunnel.

The same happened when my wife arrived from TXL, but the aircraft was docked to pier B (presumably because the next flight of the aircraft was to a non-Schengen destination). Again, the bus dropped them off at pier A.

Anybody know why? It really doesn't seem to make much sense except maybe to cater to the very few connecting passengers. In any case, I doubt that there are many connecting passengers from HAJ at a 19.40 arrival.

Maybe it would make sense to stop at pier A first, let everyone with Schengen connections off the bus and then drive to the exit at pier B?

[brussels airlines]

My guess: I think they do this so that the passengers can spend their money in concourse A in the shops or restaurants. Because if you drop them at the main terminal, they just pick up their luguagge and leave the airport.

I absolutly don't know if this is the reason. However I indeed remember in 2005 I arrived with Lufthansa from Frankfurt, and we parked at the very end of concourse A. Bus picked us up and dropped us at the main terminal. Last year I arrived from Frankfurt with Brussels Airlines, the plane parked at concourse B, bus picked us up, we drove and passed the R-gates where they drop you at the main terminal, and stopped at R04 which is a bus-gate at concourse A...

Difference bewteen the two flights:
-with LH we arrived around 11.30pm, and in Brussels Airport no shops are open anymore, no connections anymore at that hour.
-with SN we arrived around 9.30am, lots of connecting flights, all shops open...

Conclusion: It could be for both reasons: connections or try to let the passengers spend their money at the airport...

But maybe someone else knows the official reason?

[Sam V]

I think it is because it's not allowed to mix non-schengen pax with schengen pax

Not sure tho

Sam

[SmilingBoy]

I think it is because it's not allowed to mix non-schengen pax with schengen pax

Not sure tho

Sam

No, as the bus arrival at Pier B is after passport control.

[chrisflyer]

My guess is that it is to make it easier for transfer passengers who have a (tight) connection out of pier A.

Chris

[ihd-fc]

Dear

SN Coordination center coordinates bus drops. Busses go to R4 (drop-off terminal A) standard because of high load of connections on our flights (also a lot on HAJ-flight).

If SN Coordination center notices that most of connection pax are for terminal B or there are no connections than they will send bus to R1 (drop-off at terminal B (after PSP)).

This is already since terminal T is in use.

Brgds

[SmilingBoy]

OK, thanks, makes sense. Still surprised to see lots of connecting passengers from HAJ for a 19:40 arrival - after all, there are no more long-haul flights and I thought that there are only a few connections to which a transfer would make sense.

Checking this - Let's count all of the flights with an SN code going West or South departing at or after Sunday, 20:10:

Madrid
Malta
Edinburg
Leeds
East Midlands
Manchester
Lyon
Rome
Barcelona
Casablanca
Bilbao
Milan
Toulouse
Marseille
Birmingham
Bologna
London
Basel

I guess that quite a few of those destinations do not have direct flights from HAJ, so maybe there are quite a few connecting passengers after all.