Brussels Airport Remains Closed

Photo: Ad Meskens

Brussels Airport remains closed, a week after two suicide-bomb attacks blew out the windows and caused massive destruction in the departure hall last Tuesday morning.  

According to a statement from the airport, the process to resume operations started last Thursday as temporary construction was put in place, including temporary check-in desks and bags drops.  

Additional security measures that are now required at all Belgian airports on the orders of the government have also been installed.  

Officials will run tests on the temporary constructions on Tuesday to see if they can handle a real passenger flow and if they meet fire-safety requirements. Eight hundred airport staff members will take part in the test to “ensure everything runs smoothly.” 

Though “the simple fact is that a restart in the short term is not possible in the devastated infrastructure,” the airport’s statement reads, if it passes Tuesday’s tests, it hopes to resume partial passenger services as soon as possible. “The government authorities concerned must give their approval to the security system as well as to the partial recommencement of the airport activities.”  

In full preparation for partial restart. When this partial restart will take place is not yet decided. https://t.co/N2NgTWbmro

— Brussels Airport (@BrusselsAirport) March 28, 2016

The airport was the site of one of two terror attacks that struck Brussels on Tuesday morning, killing at least 30 people and injuring 260 more. The airport—and most public transportation in Brussels—shut down after the attacks, and the airlines have rerouted away from Brussels.  

Brussels Airlines changed most outgoing European flights to other cities in Belgium, such as Antwerp and Liege, and moved it long-haul flights to airports in other European cities. 

North American carriers waived some cancellation/change penalties, as well as some fare differences, in the wake of the attacks.