250 visitors welcomed on Open Business Day

On Sunday, Brussels Airport took part in the VOKA Open Business Day for the second year running. By taking part in this event, we wanted to shine the spotlight on the many people who keep the airport running 24/7. Every day, some 30,000 colleagues work both on the field and behind the scenes to make sure that the journey of more than 70,000 passengers runs smoothly and safely. 

Just like last year, the 250 available places were snapped up in no time. During a three-hour guided tour, the participants discovered a whole other side of the airport. On the apron, they observed an aircraft turnaround – a series of perfectly coordinated operations between an aircraft’s arrival at the gate and its departure, ranging from the unloading of baggage and cargo, refuelling, cleaning and technical checks of the aircraft, to the loading of baggage and cargo for the next flight.

Another highlight of the tour was a visit to one of the two fire stations at the airport. At Brussels Airport, a total of 150 firefighters are on standby 24/7 on a shift system. The four new crash tenders in particular attracted a great deal of admiration.

The bus tour also passed through the cargo zone, which plays a significant role in the airport’s operations with no fewer than 795,000 tonnes of cargo handled last year.

Participants were also shown our own water treatment plant, the Skyhall – the iconic transit hall dating from 1958 – and the aircraft maintenance hangars.

Finally, the bus also stopped briefly to view the impressive fleet of snow ploughs, snow blowers and sprayers which, in severe winter weather, keep the runways and taxiways free of snow and ice so that operations can continue safely even in difficult weather conditions.