aviation - the past, present and future of flight

However, early in 2015 a new 220-yard

(200m) ‘Connector’ building was opened,

linking the western end of Pier A to the main

building. It added new commercial areas

and extra gates for easy access to aircraft

not using connecting air bridges (such as

Ryanair). The project cost an estimated

€71m.

Plans to build a low-cost pier to the south

of Pier B have been put on hold for the time

being. However, as part of a forthcoming

€550m investment, a new Pier A West is to

be built to handle non-Schengen  ights (the

Schengen agreement abolished passport

and border controls between many European

states).

As well as serving as the capital of

Belgium, Brussels is also the de facto

capital of the European Union (EU) and the

headquarters of NATO. Given the nature of

these organisations, the city’s main airport at

times handles a signi cant amount of extra

traffic, coinciding with summits and other

international events held in the city.

Melsbroek Air Base occupies the original

northern part of the airport and is home to

the Belgian Defence – Air Component’s 15

Air Transport Wing, which currently  ies the

Lockheed C-130H Hercules, Airbus A321,

Dassault Falcon 900B and Embraer ERJ

135LR and 145LR.

CARGO

Brussels Airport is also on the route network

for many cargo carriers, and invests heavily in

infrastructure and jobs based around freight

activity. DHL had a big hub at the airport but

much of its traffic has moved to Liege Airport.

An additional cargo apron and warehouses

are situated on the northern side of the

airport, with carriers such as Saudia Cargo,

Asiana Cargo, Qatar Airways Cargo and

Singapore Airlines Cargo passing through

with freighters throughout the week.

In 2017, Brussels Airport hand led 536,000

tonnes. The peak was in 2007 at almost

785,000 tonnes. The reduction is due to a

global reduction in cargo volumes, especially

that carried in the hold of regular passenger

 ights, and also due to some carriers ceasing

to use the airport in recent years.

Nevertheless, the airport was voted best

cargo airport of 2017, at the annual Air Cargo

Week World Air Cargo Awards, for the third

year running.

The variety of freight carriers using

Brussels adds to the array of aircraft

present most days, when combined with

the government and VIP aircraft. Despite

Runway 25L being predominantly used

for arrivals, most cargo, executive and

government aircraft will land on Runway 25R

due to its proximity to their parking areas.

LOW COST

The low-cost revolution came to the Brussels

area in 1997 when Ryanair announced it was

opening a base at Charleroi Airport, around

30 miles south of the city. The airport was

renamed Brussels South Charleroi in the

process, with controversial incentives offered

to the airline by the regional government.

Charleroi would subsequently attract similar

operators and charter airlines as its facilities

grew.

In November 2013, Brussels’ main airport

announced two new partnerships with low-

cost airlines. Vueling, the growing Spanish

carrier owned by International Airlines

Group, opened a base, initially serving

seven routes from May 2014. Less than a

month later, Ryanair announced it would

also base aircraft at Zaventem (alongside its

Charleroi operations), and began  ying to

ten destinations at the end of February 2014.

Both airlines initially grew their offering, but

have since reduced the number of routes

http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 67

AIRLINES SERVING BRUSSELS AIRPORT

Adria Airways

Aegean Airlines

Aer Lingus

Aero ot

Air Algérie

Air Arabia Maroc

Air Canada

Air Europa

Air France

Air Malta

Air Moldova

Air Serbia

Air Transat

airBaltic

Alitalia

All Nippon Airways

Austrian Airlines

Blue Air

bmi regional

British Airways

Brussels Airlines

Bulgaria Air

Cathay Paci c (from

March 2018)

CityJet

Cobalt Air

Corendon Airlines

Croatia Airlines

Czech Airlines

Delta Air Lines

easyJet

easyJet Switzerland

EgyptAir

El Al

Emirates

Ethiopian Airlines

Etihad Airways

Eurowings

Finnair

FlyValan

Freebird Airlines

Georgian Airways

(from March 2018)

Germanwings

Hainan Airlines

Hop!

Iberia

Icelandair

KLM

KLM Cityhopper

LOT Polish Airlines

Lufthansa

Lufthansa Regional

Middle East Airlines

Nordica

Nouvelair

Onur Air

Pegasus Airlines

Qatar Airways

Qeshm Air

Royal Air Maroc

RwandAir

Ryanair

Scandinavian Airlines

Swiss International Air

Lines

Tailwind Airlines

TAP Portugal

TAROM

Thai Airways

TUI  y Belgium

Tunisair

Turkish Airlines

Ukraine International

Airlines

United Airlines

Vueling

WOW air

Cargo airlines:

Aerologic

Air Algérie Cargo

Asiana Cargo

ASL Airlines Belgium

DHL Aviation

Emirates SkyCargo

Ethiopian Airlines Cargo

Kalitta Air

Qatar Airways Cargo

Royal Air Maroc

Saudia Cargo

Singapore Airlines Cargo

Swiftair

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