The start of the holiday exodus heralds one of the busiest weeks of the year for Brussels Airport. With a total of some 72,000 passengers (of whom 39,000 departing passengers), Friday 1 July will be the busiest day of the first departure weekend.
For the two summer months together, 4 million passengers are expected.
In a video message, Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company, thanks all members of the airport staff for their commitment, professionalism and enthousiasm and calls on everyone to make it a great summer together.
Watch the video message here:
This is the translation of his message:
Dear airport colleagues,
After two years of COVID crisis, we can finally travel carefree again this summer. And we can finally give our passengers the well-deserved holidays they have so long been waiting for… So, let’s join forces to make this summer a great success!
Last week, preparations for our summer season got off to a false start with strike actions. I fully understand that people are worried or insecure because of the current economic crisis. But the timing of these actions was unfortunate and I regret the impact they had on so many of our passengers.
This week will be an important week for our airport with the start of the holiday exodus. It is up to us to build that cosy holiday atmosphere that we have had to miss for almost two years.
Gone are the social distancing rules and the face masks! We can see our passengers smile again. And isn’t that what we’re doing it all for: to give our passengers a pleasant experience so they'd love to come back to Brussels Airport.
While the COVID crisis made passenger numbers plummet, it gave cargo transport at Brussels Airport a gigantic boost. Our cargo division achieved record figures and is continuing to do so. Whether in e-commerce or pharma shipments, two of our strategic segments, they too play an important role.
For most people the summer holidays are synonymous with relaxing, bur for our colleagues in operations they herald a period of great bustle and hard work. For July and August, we expect around 80% of pre-COVID passenger numbers, with peaks of more than 70,000 passengers per day.
After two complicated years, it takes some getting used to. To make sure everything runs smoothly, more people need to be deployed and, where necessary, processes need to be adjusted.
But we are well prepared. And we are perfectly capable of doing it, as we convincingly demonstrated during the Easter holidays.
Thanks to the good cooperation and communication between the various partners in our airport community, we were able to give our passengers the best possible service.
Of the many vacancies that were still open a few months ago, half could already be filled. As to the number of remaining vacancies, we’re almost back at the 2019 level. This also means that plenty of new colleagues have joined our ranks. Much-needed hands that we warmly welcome into our airport family.
So, I have no doubt that this summer we will once again succeed in offering our passengers a pleasant experience. Although I also realise that it will be challenging at times. But together we can move mountains!
I would like to thank everyone who is working during the summer months for their energy, professionalism and enthusiasm. Because you truly make the difference!
For those of you who are going on holiday: enjoy your holidays to the fullest.
Now, all together, let’s make it a great summer! Thank you all for making the difference for our passengers and customers!
Arnaud Feist