Explosion at Brussels Zaventem

Bazzy

Two explosions have been reported at Zaventem airport in Brussels.
Images on social media from the scene showed smoke rising from one of the terminal buildings. The cause of the explosions is unknown.
Some reports from the scene speak of casualties but this has not been confirmed.
The blasts come four days after the capture in Brussels of Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris attacks in November.



http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869254

Hope theres no injuries

lambayire

Bloody hell.

When will this ever end?

Shots fired, Arabic shouted before the explosions.

Sky News had a crew in the terminal at the time.
They are now out on the tarmac.

Growler!!!

There's a French ATC strike going on at the moment and has caused chaos around European airports. This has caused many people to be sent through different airports when being rebooked after cancelled flights. I've been through 3 different airports in Holland and France to get to my destination this week so far.

There is a high possibility that some of these re routed passengers were in Brussels today. If you know of anybody travelling or indeed are travelling yourself around Europe, can you call home as families may be worried about you.

Shannon757

All flights to and from Brussels cancelled. Travel chaos. RIP to those who died.

Irish Steve

Folks, I've just deleted a number of posts that were off topic, and heading towards political areas that we don't want to go in to. Please keep this thread for discussing the specific issues relating to the explosions in Brussels.

Tenger

This is not the politics forum, here we discuss/debate the impact of world event on aviation/commercial air travel.
We all have out opinions on this current spate of Anti-Western, Islamic based extremism as well as our own shared history of political violence on this island and in the UK.
This is an aviation forum.
Those of us old enough to remember know the shame of being mis-represented by those who killed in our name, we also know the serious issues that existed that created a pool for that hatred to fester in.

Take any moral outrage, religious offence, political theories, personal opinions elsewhere.

fr336

Growler!!! wrote: »

There is a high possibility that some of these re routed passengers were in Brussels today..

Awful.

jimbis

I wonder will this mean security checks on the way into airports now. They used to do this at Dublin didn't they? I vaguely remember having our bags 'scanned' with some device at the main entrance to T1 and some people emptying their bags out for security.
This would've been around late 80's early 90's

January

Closed until at least Thursday.

Irish Steve

jimbis wrote: »

I wonder will this mean security checks on the way into airports now. They used to do this at Dublin didn't they? I vaguely remember having our bags 'scanned' with some device at the main entrance to T1 and some people emptying their bags out for security.
This would've been around late 80's early 90's

I was in and out of Istanbul Ataturk several times last year, and they have a full blown bag and personal scan system at the entry to the terminals. and all the other scans in terms of security arches that check for undesirable items in or on the person.

The strong likelihood is that there was a cell (or cells) in Brussels that were planning these atrocities, and they have decided to bring them forward as a result of the capture of one of the main Paris suspects last week,

The level of security that would be needed at the entrance to the airports to detect and hopefully prevent this sort of atrocity would be intrusive in the extreme, require massive investment in equipment and extra staff, and there's no certainty that the potential perpetrators would be caught, as there are so many other ways to circumvent security if you have the right people in the right places, due to the huge amount of "stuff" that enters an airport terminal that is unrelated to individual travellers. Just imagine the implications of having to individually check (for example) every box of frozen beefburgers that arrive for the fast food suppliers, effectively, nothing can be trusted if you want to achieve ultimate security.

Unfortunately, if the airports become a no go area for extremists, there are plenty of other places where large number of people gather, and they will become the targets if the airports are no longer accessible, and those sorts of places are unfortunately places like Busaras, Croke Park, the Aviva, the major rail stations, to name just a few in this island that would qualify as "suitable" soft targets for the extremists.

Part of the problem is that the "western" culture does not identify with the suicide bomber mentality, so we are already at a disadvantage when trying to plan and prepare for the sort of events that have been so devastating today.

I am struggling to decide what is an "appropriate" response to these latest events, I suspect that our political leaders are equally undecided and uncertain about how to adequately respond to these latest events, and that is unlikely to change any time soon.

What is becoming clear is that the already unpleasant experience of using the airport is likely to become even more expensive, unpleasant and time consuming. In that respect, the terrorists have unfortunately already won.

postitnote

Harks back to the old days of travelling to Aldergrove for those who remember it.

An army checkpoint on the road approaching the airport and full bag and personal searches at the entrance to the airport itself.

As a young un, i used to find it amusing just how lax airport security in other airports seemed to be compared to Belfast.

The thing is, i'd say we're all quite accustomed now to the extra security measures in the airport post Sept '11. The inconvenience is the adjustment to the additional ones put in place. Sure it wasn't that long ago you could drop off and pick up outside the doors of the airport, but we've adapted to that alright.

eusap

Moscow airport is the same, full security checks at the entrance door

munchkin_utd

postitnote wrote: »

Harks back to the old days of travelling to Aldergrove for those who remember it.

An army checkpoint on the road approaching the airport and full bag and personal searches at the entrance to the airport itself.

As a young un, i used to find it amusing just how lax airport security in other airports seemed to be compared to Belfast.

The thing is, i'd say we're all quite accustomed now to the extra security measures in the airport post Sept '11. The inconvenience is the adjustment to the additional ones put in place. Sure it wasn't that long ago you could drop off and pick up outside the doors of the airport, but we've adapted to that alright.

too too true.

I was in Brussels a couple of times since the paris attacks and from a viewpoint of what I saw was deemed necessary in Belfast airport and city, it was shocking how you could walk into the airport without being checked.

And then what happened yesterday........?????

Terrontress

munchkin_utd wrote: »

too too true.

I was in Brussels a couple of times since the paris attacks and from a viewpoint of what I saw was deemed necessary in Belfast airport and city, it was shocking how you could walk into the airport without being checked.

And then what happened yesterday........?????

Why shouldn't you walk into an airport unchecked? If you are not going through to an aircraft then it's just a big building with people in it, the same as a sports arena, music venue etc.

Jamie2k9

All getting border line ridiculous here about security checks, if they checked outside the airport the bomb would just explode out in the open.

Checks on approach to the airport would just result in car bombs.

People need prospective, prehaps increased random searches within the check in hall are warranted in future, nothing more.

The next round of bombings will if the past is anything to go by at locations which are not metro or airports, just like locations in Paris were not repeated in Brussels.

bronn

Back in the day, everyone used to be checked going into Dublin airport. The security checks were at the doors where they opened handbags and had a wand thingy to scan the rest. Not sure what that wand could detect but I remember being fascinated by it as a kid. I thought it could smell guns.

Last time I was in Nairobi airport, only passengers were allowed inside the departure terminal building. You had to haul your own luggage up onto an x-ray scanner before you even set foot inside departures proper. On the way in to the airport, there were random checks and if you got picked, everything was turfed out of the car and the car got scanned with mirrors and dogs. Suffice to say, er, racial profiling was evident and the chances of a "white tourist" getting picked were zero.

I can see that the random check, x-ray on entry thing might become more of a feature in our airports. We've just gotten used to not having it there. Those poor people yesterday - jesus, it must have been utterly horrendous.

fits

What happened in the immediate aftermath yesterday? Were planes still landing or were they immediately diverted?

Tenger

fits wrote: »

What happened in the immediate aftermath yesterday? Were planes still landing or were they immediately diverted?

I believe diversion's were almost immediately in place. I saw on their twitter feed that the EI early flight diverted to AMS. I think it was in the air when the incidents happened

AndyBoBandy

I'd imagine anyone rolling down the runway, or on final, would have continued on, and once the controllers understood the situation (as there was bound to be some confusion in the initial stages of the event), they would have acted appropriately and started diverting all inbound, while holding all departures/ground movements.

fits

Was curious to know how it works.

I must have been through Zaventem 10 times in the last year and am trying to picture where the american airlines desk was. Usually flying finnair, ryanair or aerlingus. Luckily I had no colleagues in Brussels yesterday, there are usually a few of us knocking around the airport or the commission buildings.

Growler!!!

Some people are still not aware of the increased security at continental airports. TLS was evacuated earlier cos some simpleton left their bag unattended, luckily the airport is back to full operation and I can get home:D

Inquitus

I have flown through Zaventum extensively, its a well laid out airport and the taxi drops you off right by the check-in desks, these lads could have spent less than 2 mins from paying for the cab to detonating, no time to be noticed, flagged or intercepted. Seems like we will have to accept these attacks as a sad fact of modern life, intelligence services may well foil most attempts before they get off the ground, but some will always succeed and in reality its far too easy to perpetrate senseless violence like this.

Jamie2k9

Inquitus wrote: »

I have flown through Zaventum extensively, its a well laid out airport and the taxi drops you off right by the check-in desks, these lads could have spent less than 2 mins from paying for the cab to detonating, no time to be noticed, flagged or intercepted. Seems like we will have to accept these attacks as a sad fact of modern life, intelligence services may well foil most attempts before they get off the ground, but some will always succeed and in reality its far too easy to perpetrate senseless violence like this.

AA desks I believe are Row 9 and EI are opposite Row 5

jimbis

Tenger wrote: »

I believe diversion's were almost immediately in place. I saw on their twitter feed that the EI early flight diverted to AMS. I think it was in the air when the incidents happened

I went straight onto fr24 as soon as the news broke and that EI flight was over Belgium, and a minute or two later it diverted to Ams.

smurfjed

Do you remember when all passengers and their baggage were scanned before entering Dublin airport, looks like we are going back in that direction.

ImDave

I flew in and out of BRU last Wednesday. It looks like where the explosion took place at the AA desks is very close to the end of the terminal where you come up from the train station.

I was delighted to see that a brand new security screen area has opened very recently there (I was last there in November and it wasn't open but not sure when exactly it did). The new area is immediately to the left as you come up from the train station, so very close to the area of the blast I think. It was a vast improvement from the old screening for the B gates where EI depart from.

Mebuntu

Do you remember when all passengers and their baggage were scanned before entering Dublin airport, looks like we are going back in that direction.

That only moves the problem further back along the line. Very large queues would form outside and would be just as easy a target. When you think about it, even if eagle-eyed police had been at every entrance door at Zaventem and had spotted the black gloves hiding the detonators as the bombers arrived, the bombs would have been detonated there and then.

Yesterday I came through London Victoria station during morning rush hour and then LGW a half hour or so later and didn't see even one armed security officer at either location.

fits

ImDave wrote: »

I flew in and out of BRU last Wednesday. It looks like where the explosion took place at the AA desks is very close to the end of the terminal where you come up from the train station.

Ah now i can picture it. I was really struggling to remember and piece together where it happened. One airport merges into another after a while...

JCX BXC

Closed until at least sunday it seems, extensive damage internally it seems.

The statement from the airport states: "Following the terrorsit attacks of Tuesday 22 March, there will be no passenger flights into and out of Brussels Airport until Sunday 27 March included.

Until we have assessed the damage, it remains unclear when we can resume operations."

Irish Steve

Update on Sky News a few minutes ago, airport will remain closed until Tuesday.

Poochie05

On their website they explained the main delay is that they haven't even been able to get in to the building to assess the damage as the forensics are still in there.

Just seeing all the updates on how people can collect their cars and luggage, depending on what stage of transit they were at and which ground handler was moving the luggage really Highlighted all the logistics that go on in the background at an airport

JCX BXC

Temporary structures in place and there will be a test with staff tomorrow, hoping for a partial resume of services on Wednesday, 8 days after the attack.

Van.Bosch

Carnacalla wrote: »

Temporary structures in place and there will be a test with staff tomorrow, hoping for a partial resume of services on Wednesday, 8 days after the attack.

There are flights flying to BRU on FR24, HQ1843 for example from TFS. Are these exceptions or just not updated and really flying elsewhere?

Edit - landed in Liege

JCX BXC

Van.Bosch wrote: »

There are flights flying to BRU on FR24, HQ1843 for example from TFS. Are these exceptions or just not updated and really flying elsewhere?

They will all divert, eg all Ryanair flights are operating from Charleroi, just FR24 has it listed as BRU still.

Poochie05

Van.Bosch wrote: »

There are flights flying to BRU on FR24, HQ1843 for example from TFS. Are these exceptions or just not updated and really flying elsewhere?

That's just landing at Liege at the moment

Mebuntu

Van.Bosch wrote: »

There are flights flying to BRU on FR24, HQ1843 for example from TFS. Are these exceptions or just not updated and really flying elsewhere?

Edit - landed in Liege

Any reason why EI is not temporarily using Liege/Charleroi or other regional rather than cancel all flights to BRU?

JCX BXC

Mebuntu wrote: »

Any reason why EI is not temporarily using Liege/Charleroi or other regional rather than cancel all flights to BRU?

There's not much that capacity at those airports, and Aer Lingus, unlike Ryanair have no facilities at CRL or LGG

Poochie05

Airport still closed for passenger flights tomorrow
http://www.brusselsairport2203.be/en/

JCX BXC

Poochie05 wrote: »

Airport still closed for passenger flights tomorrow
http://www.brusselsairport2203.be/en/

Must be having massive financial effect for all involved.

Locker10a

Carnacalla wrote: »

Must be having massive financial effect for all involved.

Yes, I feel for Brussels Airlines, this must be having a big impact on them more then anyone else

JCX BXC

Tests taking place until tomorrow afternoon, so no operations aren't expected until at least Friday.

JCX BXC

Reopening tomorrow for passenger operations, with 3 scheduled Brussels Airlines flights.

20:00 SN1902 Faro

22:50 SN1796 Turin Caselle

23:00 SN1546 Athens Elefterios Venizelos

I assume this will be a test of infrastructure and security.

Increased security measures have been enacted. On approach to the airport there will be a vehicle check for every approaching vehicle. Passengers will be dropped off at the drop off point, and face police control and passport checks, people not departing on a flight will not be allowed enter the terminal. Then you proceed to normal security, which I assume will be very strict.

fr336

Typical show for after the event really isn't it, the terrorists are unlikely to target the same place again. It's everywhere that needs improved security, but as people have said it's unworkable in reality as they'll just strike somewhere further back with a big crowd. All comes down to money at the end of the day, I'm sure some people in this big world saw a 9/11 scenario happening but nothing was done till after the event.

Noxegon

Seems to me like the terrorists have won. I read somewhere that there's to be no access to the airport by public transport for the foreseeable future, and rental cars remain unavailable. That effectively renders BRU unusable for anyone that isn't a local.

JCX BXC

Noxegon wrote: »

That effectively renders BRU unusable for anyone that isn't a local.

No more so than airports like WAT and CFN. Taxi services are still available!

L1011

Carnacalla wrote: »

No more so than airports like WAT and CFN. Taxi services are still available!

They have hire cars and at least WAT has bus also

Chris_5339762

Noxegon wrote: »

Seems to me like the terrorists have won. I read somewhere that there's to be no access to the airport by public transport for the foreseeable future, and rental cars remain unavailable. That effectively renders BRU unusable for anyone that isn't a local.

Can you elaborate on that? We're due to fly Ryanair into Zaventem on Saturday, and Hertz haven't said anything about no hire cars being available.

Mind you, we don't know yet whether we'll be flying into Zaventem, or whether Ryanair will still be flying into Charleroi.

JCX BXC

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Can you elaborate on that? We're due to fly Ryanair into Zaventem on Saturday, and Hertz haven't said anything about no hire cars being available.

Mind you, we don't know yet whether we'll be flying into Zaventem, or whether Ryanair will still be flying into Charleroi.

Ryanair are officially flying to Charleroi until at least Thursday, but chances are with the airport being the way it is, Ryanair won't be moving for several weeks.

Chris_5339762

Thats what I was thinking; with them being one of the easiest to continue to divert to Charleroi they'll probably stay there for the foreseeable.

goingnowhere

Aer Lingus back flying to BRU from tomorrow Tuesday 5th

EI638/639 daily except Saturday, all others cancelled until at least May 1st