On Tuesday 18 May, Brussels Airport Company, together with Brussels Airlines and TUI fly, organised a well-attended press conference to boost the restart and to draw attention to three important messages.
Air travel is safe
The first message we wanted to pass on during the press conference is that air travel is safe thanks to the many precautions. In addition to the mandatory wearing of face masks, a good hand hygiene, the thorough cleaning in the terminal and piers and an optimal ventilation, we use flow control and provide additional waiting areas outside the terminal so that passengers can also keep sufficient distance from each other when the check-in area gets a bit too crowded. And if you know that 95% of the departing passengers hold a negative PCR test certificate , you will understand that the chance of being infected at the airport is minimal (and in any case a lot smaller than, for example, in the supermarket).
Connectivity largely restored
The connectivity of our airport and thus our country has been largely restored. By summer, we will be able to offer flights to no less than 175 destinations. That is only 25 fewer than in the summer of 2019. Anyone eager to travel is sure to find a destination to their liking.
Brussels Airlines and TUI fly boast the biggest network. Brussels Airlines, flies to 78 destinations, 17 of which are outside Europe. TUI fly takes passengers to 75 destinations, 6 of which are intercontinental.
Looking forward to the ‘Green Certificate’ and the harmonisation of the rules in the EU
This summer, we are expecting 2.5 million passengers in July and August. The recovery has started. For the entire 2021, we hope to hit the 10 million passenger mark.
But for that we need a harmonisation at European level of the travel advice and restrictions, so passengers no longer have a reason to travel from an airport in our neighbouring countries. We are also advocate that the announced EU Covid-19 certificate be introduced as soon as possible. That would replace the current test certificates and in the long term can assist in the relaxing or even lifting of the quarantine obligations.
We will travel again, but better
Brussels Airport Company has launched various campaigns to support and accelerate the restart of the airport. The idea is to rekindle people’s desire to travel by air by means of social media posts, video ads and so on.
The ‘Restart’ as the start of a new journey. View the short campaign video below.