Mar 22, 2016, 5:59 am
Last edit by: JDiver
WELCOME, MODERATOR GUIDELINES and SUMMARY
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING
If you are new to us, welcome to FlyerTalk!
Who we are: FlyerTalk features discussions and chat boards that covers the most up-to-date traveler information; an interactive community dedicated to the topic of travel (not politics or arguments about politics or religion, etc.)
All travelers are welcome in the community. Just choose a forum: conversing about airlines and their programs, airports, destinations, dining and how to make the most of your miles and points, or visit our Information Desk to start.
We do have some Rules, and everyone agrees to abide by these when they are granted free membership privileges. On a topic that generates a lot of feelings and perspectives, please remember "welcoming, respectful" are key words on FlyerTalk.
As with previous serious incident threads, please observe the following in this thread:
1. The normal FT Rules apply. (Including not discussing moderation actions on-thread). And please be particularly attentive to "discussing the idea and not the poster" when you have a disagreement. Civility and mutual respect are still expected and are what we owe each other as a community.
2. You are expected to respect our diversity, and therefore refrain from posting inflammatory comments about race, religion, culture, politics, ethnicity, orientation, etc." Do not cite, copy, or report on such.
3. Please do continue to be attentive to the sensibilities of the families of those impacted by the tragedy. Think about if you were them what you would and would not want to see posted. Reasonable speculation about what happened is permissible; please, though, do not indulge in inflammatory or overly-lurid descriptions or depictions (or links to same) that could well be hurtful.
4. Overly / extravagantly exaggerative posts such as conspiracy theories, posts beyond the realm of science and known facts, etc. as well as posts with information that has been posted several times previously may be summarily deleted. Moderator actions may not be discussed in posts on FlyerTalk.
(For those more interested in conspiracy theories and have access to OMNI, please post there: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/omni-...u-airport.html.)
5. FlyerTalk complies with international copyright agreements. Please do not post full copyrighted articles; summarize the salient points, cite properly and post links. Entire copyrighted articles will be summarily deleted.
6. In addition, those who repeatedly fail to comply with FlyerTalk Rules or the guidelines for this thread may be subjected to FlyerTalk disciplinary actions and have membership privileges suspended, forum masks, etc.
Flyertalk Brussels incident moderator team: stut, cblaisd and starflyergold
N.B. PLEASE do not alter the contents of this moderator note.
SUMMARY: At ~08:00 local time on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, three men with several large bags arrived by taxi at BRU / Brussels Zaventem airport. They proceeded with their bags on trolleys into the departures area, where they detonated Claymore type devices within the suitcases (explosives wrapped with shrapnel consisting of nails, etc.) at opposite ends of the Departures area.
11 are known dead in this incident, many more injured. Two bombs detonated, a third suitcase detonated later, after the area had been evacuated. Two bombers were killed, a third one is being searched for; he is believed to be Hakim Laachraoui, allegedly the bomb designer and implicated in the November 13 Paris terrorist bombings.
Approximately an hour later, two men including the brother of one of the BRU bombers detonated a suicide explosive device at the Maelbeek metro station, not far from EU / EC buildings. More than 20 were killed at the metro station. In all, there have been over 260 reported injuries.
BRU / Zaventem began to open with three flights 3 April. There are new procedures in place, as reported by member flatlander on Sunday, 3 April in the American Airlines | AAdvantage forum.
Alternate access to / from Brussels by air is via Brussels Charleroi / CRL / EBVI 29 miles from the city and connected by bus. CRL hosts Low Cost Carriers and some airlines have temporarily diverted flights from BRU to CRL.
Rail services (e.g. Thalys from Amsterdam and Paris) are functioning normally.
11 are known dead in this incident, many more injured. Two bombs detonated, a third suitcase detonated later, after the area had been evacuated. Two bombers were killed, a third one is being searched for; he is believed to be Hakim Laachraoui, allegedly the bomb designer and implicated in the November 13 Paris terrorist bombings.
Approximately an hour later, two men including the brother of one of the BRU bombers detonated a suicide explosive device at the Maelbeek metro station, not far from EU / EC buildings. More than 20 were killed at the metro station. In all, there have been over 260 reported injuries.
BRU / Zaventem began to open with three flights 3 April. There are new procedures in place, as reported by member flatlander on Sunday, 3 April in the American Airlines | AAdvantage forum.
flatlander, 3 Apr 2016:
BRU is now open with limited service. See http://www.brusselsairport2203.be for new arrivals and departures procedures.
Of note: There will be a vehicle check approaching the drop-off zone. Only passengers will be allowed past the drop-off area into the temporary check-in and departures area, and there will be no luggage trolleys or catering in the departures area. After security there are a few places to eat and drink.
There are no train or bus services to the airport. Access is by private car, taxi, foot or bicycle. No car rental at the airport.
...Recommended arrival time at the airport is 3 hours before departure.
BRU is now open with limited service. See http://www.brusselsairport2203.be for new arrivals and departures procedures.
Of note: There will be a vehicle check approaching the drop-off zone. Only passengers will be allowed past the drop-off area into the temporary check-in and departures area, and there will be no luggage trolleys or catering in the departures area. After security there are a few places to eat and drink.
There are no train or bus services to the airport. Access is by private car, taxi, foot or bicycle. No car rental at the airport.
...Recommended arrival time at the airport is 3 hours before departure.
Rail services (e.g. Thalys from Amsterdam and Paris) are functioning normally.
Resource information:
Link to BRU / Zaventem airport site with maps and details of current procedures.
Link to detailed BRU procedures for departing passengers.
Belgian Federal Crisis Center offers an English PDF here, and current updates on its FaceBook page here. Twitter @crisiscenterbe.
Relatives of BRU / Zaventem airport victims or inquiring may call +32 2 753 73 00.
Relatives of Maelbeek victims or inquiring may call +32 78 15 17 71.
Rail service has been reestablished to all rail stations (excepting BRU). Noctis busses are running. Trams #92 and #93 are running. For Metro service, see here. Plan more time for security procedures implemented as Belgium is at Security Level 3, even at rail stations, etc. and be sure to be prepared to produce valid identification.
Link to updated article on BBC
Updated 03 April 2016 by JDiver
Link to BRU / Zaventem airport site with maps and details of current procedures.
Link to detailed BRU procedures for departing passengers.
Belgian Federal Crisis Center offers an English PDF here, and current updates on its FaceBook page here. Twitter @crisiscenterbe.
Relatives of BRU / Zaventem airport victims or inquiring may call +32 2 753 73 00.
Relatives of Maelbeek victims or inquiring may call +32 78 15 17 71.
Rail service has been reestablished to all rail stations (excepting BRU). Noctis busses are running. Trams #92 and #93 are running. For Metro service, see here. Plan more time for security procedures implemented as Belgium is at Security Level 3, even at rail stations, etc. and be sure to be prepared to produce valid identification.
Link to updated article on BBC
Updated 03 April 2016 by JDiver
Brussels airport and metro explosions 22 March 2016
Mar 22, 2016, 6:22 am
#16
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
Terrible those these events are, they are mercifully rare. I am no more fear of going to Paris than anywhere else.
Mar 22, 2016, 6:35 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AMS+IAH
Programs: Lufthansa: Senator || IHG: Diamond Royal Ambassador Inner Circle || Plutonium Status
Posts: 3,486
Today's talk at the supermarket (suburban Amsterdam a mixed race neighbourhood) was that everyone finds it awfull something like this has happened but nobody is going to cancel their travel plans or not enjoy the easter holidays. It might be even safer to travel now with the high state of alert.
Mar 22, 2016, 6:37 am
#18
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,584
Mar 22, 2016, 6:39 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,724
Probably. Delta had a flight land as the attacks started and they parked it a remote gate and initially held passengers on the plane. Per Delta's website, they've deplaned the passengers now.
Mar 22, 2016, 6:48 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Mar 22, 2016, 6:49 am
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
And I'm not sure which part of the UN you are referring to in Brussels. I find way more EU and NATO governments institutions around that metro station than UN stuff. Very little senior UN stuff takes place in Brussels IME.
Mar 22, 2016, 6:50 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,325
I can imagine security being introduced on entry to the airport terminal in the near future, as it is in some of the more "interesting" destinations I travel to; you and your bags are scanned before you even get to a check in desk.
As for travel to BRU, I've cancelled my trip there from AMS next week. Not because I'm concerned about my personal safety, but because it will likely still be a total ball ache to get about the city. I will travel to AMS as intended.
As for travel to BRU, I've cancelled my trip there from AMS next week. Not because I'm concerned about my personal safety, but because it will likely still be a total ball ache to get about the city. I will travel to AMS as intended.
Mar 22, 2016, 7:00 am
#23
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Mar 22, 2016, 7:42 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,609
For anyone who really needs to get into Brussels at the moment, there are a number of smaller airports nearby. Antwerp, Charleroi and Rotterdam could be worth checking out and I believe bmi Regional fly into Liege airport, possibly from Munich. From the major airports of Amsterdam, Düsseldorf and Cologne the distance to drive is not unreasonable, if you wish to rent a car.
Mar 22, 2016, 7:46 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Right but there are many many other EU offices all around Brussels, not to mention the parliament itself. And there are offices that don't belong to the EU Commission near that metro so I don't think you can automatically assume it was about the EU. Even closer to that metro is the Crowne Plaza hotel and Deutsche Welle offices. Who knows why they chose that metro?
Mar 22, 2016, 8:23 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,659
Humans have an interesting inability to quantify risk. When we give into our irrational fears, the terrorists win. I have not been planning a trip to Europe, but if a great fare came up, I'd go. And I regularly travel to the most populous Islamic country in the world. I have a greater risk of being killed in an automobile accident within 25 miles of my home than in a terrorist attack. (OTOH, I am planning to avoid downtown Cleveland during the Republican Convention.)
Mar 22, 2016, 9:25 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,900
Mar 22, 2016, 9:25 am
#28
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,018
Dear all,
Let's please stay on-topic. Questions about OMNI qualifications, politics, etc., can go elsewhere.
Thank you.
cblaisd, Moderator pro tempore, Europe forum.
Let's please stay on-topic. Questions about OMNI qualifications, politics, etc., can go elsewhere.
Thank you.
cblaisd, Moderator pro tempore, Europe forum.
Mar 22, 2016, 9:45 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 4,044
Similarly, United is reporting that flight 950 from IAD landed and deplaned normally at 7:01 while 999 from EWR which landed a bit later parked at a remote located where the pax deplaned. Reports put the explosion at "just before 8am" and flight aware shows UA999 as landing at 8:01 so they must have been way too far into their descent to divert.
