‘A sign of our strength’: Brussels airport to reopen 12 days after bomb attack

Brussels Airport is to reopen tomorrow for the first time since suicide bombers struck nearly two weeks ago. There will be flights to Faro, Turin and Athens but passengers will be dropped off at car parks before being taken to check in. Passengers would also have to go through metal detectors plus other security measures, CEO of Brussels Airport Company Arnaud Feist said. Special arrangements had been made to check in luggage and access to the airport will only be by car or taxi, he added. “That we are able to make this start only 12 days after the devastating attacks is a sign of our collective strength at Brussels Airport,” said Mr Feist.

These flights are the first hopeful sign from an airport that is standing up straight after a cowardly attack.

Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company

Meanwhile, a third suspect has been charged with terrorist activities linked to a foiled plot to attack France, prosecutors in Belgium said on Saturday. The 35-year-old is the fourth suspect to be charged following a spate of terror raids and arrests in Belgium in the wake of the bomb attacks which killed more than 30 people at Zaventem airport and a metro station. Among those held was Salah Abdeslam, who was wanted over the attacks on Paris in November. He has told his brother he pulled out of blowing himself up to spare the lives of those around him. Also on Saturday, police have arrested protesters at a far-right demonstration in the Molenbeek neighbourhood of Brussels and at a counter-demonstration in the centre of the city.

There would have been more victims had I done it. Luckily, I couldn’t go through with it.

Salah Abdeslam

brussels