Brussels Airlines

✅ Trip Verified | I have been using Brussels Airlines for some connections from Uganda to European cities (Brussels and London). The quality of flights is basic, but they are one of increasingly limited options. In my last flight (Entebbe to London via Brussels SN467/SN2093 on 13/12/2017) they seem to have taken a nosedive. The airline initially announced that the flight leaving Entebbe would make an unplanned stop at Kigali, before continuing to Brussels. Thus they allowed boarding of Kigali-bound passengers and asked all to ignore the seat allocation printed on their boarding passes. The boarding was delayed and disorganised. Once on the plane, someone worked out that the detour would have exceeded the maximum allowable work hours for the crew. The plan was changed back to the original direct flight to Brussels, but now they had to disembark the Kigali-bound passengers! This caused chaos: loud complaints by the passengers who had been promised transport to Kigali, refusals to disembark, ridiculous threats by some members of the crew that the flight would just take off for Brussels with any Kigali-bound passenger that did not disembark, overall not a very professional image for Brussels Airlines. Eventually all Kigali-bound passengers disembarked after promises of local hotel accommodation and a flight next morning. Then Brussels-bound passengers were asked to move to their initially allocated seats, multiple counts and baggage checks had to be done and eventually the flight took off 3 hours and 20 minutes later than scheduled. I managed to make the connection in Brussels (the London flight was also delayed over 1 hour) but my baggage did not, so in London I had to make a claim at the counter with a number of other unfortunate travellers from Entebbe. The customer service employee apologised for a computer malfunction that prevented proper tracking of my baggage, but promised that I would get the baggage later in the evening, asked for my address and gave me a phone number to call. He said to purchase any essential toiletries and retain receipts for reimbursement. I reached my destination, and in the evening I called the number, but the delivery company did not have any record of my baggage. The next morning, same thing. I purchased some toiletries. The baggage was finally delivered late at night on the second day. I thought I should at least claim reimbursement for the toiletries and went to the Brussels Airlines website, entered my flight details etc. and got an automated acknowledgement email in a few minutes, pre-emptively apologising for possible delays in getting back to me. In fact for 1 month (today is 11/01/2018) there has still not been any reply, despite multiple reminders sent to the customer service department. Maybe this review is a bit long, but I thought I should just let others know about this Brussels Airlines experience.

✅ Trip Verified | Freetown to Brussels. Flight 9 January canceled after false start without further explanation - only technical problems. Flight on 10 January with a waiting time of 8 hours! Bad communication. No food or drinks at the airport in the waiting time. Luggage from baggage belt and check in again! No staff.

✅ Trip Verified | Accra to London via Brussels. If you do not want to lose your luggage never use Brussels Airlines. Check in and cabin staff excellent but customer service very, very bad. Brussels Airlines lost my luggage and refused to pay for compensation. They may lose your luggage. Never use again.

✅ Trip Verified | Flew Brussels to Hanover. Brussels Airline has very poor service and customer service. I would not recommend this airline to anyone. My flight was canceled, I was provided with the wrong informations and a refund was not paid although promised at the airport. The service at the airport was very chaotic and unorganized although this cancellation was very foreseeable. I would never travel with this airline again.

✅ Trip Verified | Flew London Heathrow to Prague via Brussels with Brussels Airlines. I was searching for last minute flights and this one had a really good price, even though it wasn't a direct flight, but since it was from Heathrow it had a short comute so it was a good option. Aircraft came 20 minutes late, but boarding was quick, but unfortunately Heathrow is really overcrowded and needs another runway, so we arrived 30 minutes late to Brussels and only had 35 minutes for layover. The crew gave all passengers with short flight connections express passes for Brussels airport, which was really nice and not all arlines do that. Second flight left 10 minutes late because we waited for some passangers. Otherwise seats were comfortable and aircraft has nice interior. I would recommend this airline.

✅ Trip Verified | Flight from Birmingham to Brussels was cancelled due weather condition. (I had connecting flight to Athens). This can happen, it doesn't depend on us and I understand that. People where waiting at the airport 5 hours just to find that out. After that no information provided at all! We where offered to take our luggages back and were told that airlines will contact us for further information, just nobody knows when. Then, 06.44 am I received an email with some information about my gate change (departure 06.15 am) Wait, what? I didn't receive any new ticket as promised. All stressed out I took my luggage and started my journey from another city to Birmingham airport again just to find out what's going on, because their customer service line was just off all this time! So after getting into the airport after 2 hours trip, everything what I received was a suggestion of flight next day (that means 2 days later than my booked flight supposed to be). So again 2 hours trip from the airport (I am not talking only about time, but expenses as well) and now waiting for tomorrow- worst customer service ever, I will never ever use that airline again!

✅ Trip Verified | Billund to Mumbai return via Brussels. All four flights were delayed, ½ hour from Billund til Brussels, 1.5 hour delayed from Brussels to Billund. 1 hour delayed departure Brussels to Mumbai (also at arrival). We were supposed to arrive at midnight in MUMBAI I know the same plane returns scheduled at 0115, so a slot delay. The flight time is scheduled for 8:35 hours to Mumbai and 9:50 the other way? So they are probably calculating in to catch up a delay on their way back to Brussels (and have an advantage in leaving early from Mumbai). We departed 1 hour late from Mumbai and arrived 15 minutes before scheduled arrival. Being constantly delayed causes more extra time in airports since you cannot calculate in permanent delays and need to be in the airport in due time. Brussels - Billund flight were also delayed both times. The airline simply don't have enough aircraft or are over optimistic. Flights are ok, but they the entertainment system is thin - not much to chose from, very few international tv-series and movies. No remote - which causes a constant tapping in your seat from the person behind you playing a game! Food and beverage very good towards Mumbai but not back. Dry-dry chicken. No service on Brussel-Billund.

✅ Trip Verified | Rome to Brussels. After this flight I found my baggage was lost, and the next day I will leave to Brussels for a long time. Finally they delivery the baggage to my friend's address after two days delayed, at the same time they refuse to gimme the compensation even if I have no towels, toothbrush when I arriving at China. Brussels Airlines's client support and grand handling service was terrible and make us disappointed again and again.

✅ Verified Review | We flew two very different aircraft during our travel from Washington to Madrid via Brussels. The first and last flight (out of four) were on an A330-200 which are configured for business and economy only. We traveled in business and hoped for a good experience as we used valuable star alliance points. The service was very good on our first flight to Brussels: flight attendants were wonderful and fun, food was ok, entertainment ok (but system is great) and it was easy on and easy off. The seat and cabin left much to be desired. The aircraft was uncomfortably hot, sweltering hot, and I just couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep well. The seat itself is awkward to say the least. I've traveled both business and first, trans-Atlantic and Pacific, in at least 9 other airlines, some frequently, and this seat was by far the most clumsy and uncomfortable. My husband and I are both tall and we found the way the seat reclines forces your feet into this very small compartment in which you then need to push yourself back up from to reposition yourself properly on the reclines seat. My husband’s feet could not move within this small compartment as they fit in like a glove and limited his ability to move around and settle. In most airlines you have two controls for you seat: one easily accessible when seated and one when lying down. Same here but during your repositioning neither becomes easy to reach and you have to hoist yourself up to reach again. There is no mid-range adjustment either. They have a recline position but if you don't like that one you have to choose between completely upright or full recline; no in-between or other adjustments! You can, however, just raise your leg rest. Little to no storage except in that little foot compartment I mentioned, which by the way goes away when you recline to flat bed. No place for your laptop, handbag or iPad when you sleep. I felt cramped. The food was ok. Wine and beer choices excellent. Entertainment choices were very weak but they did try and provide a good global sampling. The screen was very easy to use, sound good and no technical issues. On our trip back we had a less than pleasant server. I felt the simplest of requests (that I only have an appetizer and not dinner and receive my cheese course for a main) was met with a huff and near eye roll. I did notice our particular flight attendant complained to everyone working on board in ear shot of passengers about her job, conditions, other 'issues' on the plane. Fortunately not about passengers. Perhaps I just had ‘grumpy’ as my attendant. Again, this second flight was hot and uncomfortable. Several of the passengers complained and there was one flight attendant trying to communicate this to the pilot and we did receive some relief for a few hours. In general if you are traveling from the USA to Europe I think I would try and avoid Brussels Airlines. My husband who travels internationally most weeks, always business or first, said Brussels is his least favorite. I know it is hard to complain when we have the ability to fly in a premium cabin but we usually pay dearly for them. I am sad we used valuable points for this bad experience. On a positive note: Brussels airport is a dream. Lovely and easy to get around, not as overcrowded as Paris CDG or Frankfurt, and flights per our experience were on time and pleasant to board and go to connections. I’m sure that is in part because of Brussels. My hope is they better themselves

✅ Verified Review | I am a Star Alliance Gold member and picked Brussels Airlines for a connecting flight via Brussels Nürnberg believing in Star Alliance Quality level. Well, if you book Brussels Airlines you sometimes do not get Brussels Airlines. They have some flights being operated by BMI British Midland Regional which is a rather low budget carrier from the UK with small old planes. Bad service on the ground. At Brussels Airport for example they do not provide you any service. We came from overseas and had our bags we wanted to get rid of, Brussels Airlines refused to check them in and said it was BMI that we should talk to yet they only open 90 minutes previous to flight departure. I told them I bought a Brussels Airline ticket so why can not check in with them, they responded, no it is operated by BMI so go to them. I could not use Brussels Airlines machines neither the counter to check in. You book and pay for something you do not get, so why bother buying a ticket from that airline at all?