Brussels Zaventem Airport

I have used Brussels 4-6 times a year for about 20 years. Generally it is a well-organised easy to use airport with good facilities. However two things are very irritating and both could be improved at little cost. Firstly if one arrives from a non-Schengen state and the aircraft is parked in a remote spot (as is often the case) you are taken by bus to the terminal. This is fine except the bus drops passengers at a door that is a good 200m from the immigration control point so a rush of people up the stairs and along a very long corridor develops. Why not simply drop everyone closer to the passport check point - there appear to be doors already in place? Secondly there is a train into the centre of the city: frequent regular and efficient. As usual there were two sales points open and queues stretched out of the booking hall.

Has no electricity connectors foreseen for visitors of other countries. Waiting on your luggage becomes longer and longer every month. In the beginning luggage took around 15mins to claim now you have to wait around 45-60 mins.

Well organized airport with GOOD security checks. Queues are well organized processing is speedy with helpful attendants. Good selection of shops and food-outlets once you are through security. Restaurants fairly priced and courteous staff. Good selection of authentic Belgian products at competitive prices.

Flew several times to/from BRU. Generally positive experience. Last time efficient check-in quick passport and smooth security (though it wasn't anything near rush hour). The walk to the gate saves you time in a gym; three escalators down a long walk three escalators up. Transport to the city and the rest of the county is efficient but is thin especially in the late hours.

I use Brussels Airport every time so on average 20 times a year. It's very easy to reach by public transport and by car (there were some rush hour queues when the infrastructure was being rebuilt but that's finished now) very difficult to find a parking space close to the terminal on busy days. Kiss and ride zone works very efficiently when Police are patrolling without Police it's chaos because people leave their car parked. In 90% of the times never had to wait more than 30 minutes for checking in (I don't bother checking in online or using the machines) Staff is usually very friendly and they know multiple languages. Security can be really bad on some days so expect long queues. Again in about 80% of the time got through in less than half an hour. Terminal A is modern very spacious and very nice to be in but about 15 minutes of walking from the check-in area. Terminal B is older but does not look aged less shops and less seating. Baggage drop off was very efficient my luggage would be waiting on the belt but that's changed after some worker strikes. Expect 20-30 minutes of wait (when you arrive at the belt which is also about 20 minutes after arrival at the gate).

Transited BRU earlier this month. Total chaos. Landed from MXP in terminal B long walk to terminal A for connecting flight to PHL. Passport control not bad but as heading up stairs to get to security was faced with a sea of people coming down the stairs. Seems main security checkpoint was overloaded and they were directing people to use alternate at far end of A terminal. Had to walk to end of terminal where there was a mass of people queuing for 2 checkpoints. 45 minutes through then up to departures and back to the other end of the terminal to the gate. Very little to look at air side no food nor shopping this was mainly pre security as was duty free kiosk so could not get that stamped forfeiting the refund. Not the best experience.

I have never had a good experience at Brussels Airport. Travelling to Africa via Brussels makes you feel like a third class citizen (whatever your skin colour). You are almost forced into using a transfer bus from a virtually unheated part of the airport. If you can find another way to Africa that does not involve passing through Brussels take it.

Flew from the UK to Oslo via Brussels Airport return. Signage and directions were extremely confusing and the security staff were rude and arrogant. I don't know how old the Airport is but the facilities were dated and unclean.

Clean easy to access at low price from city centre by train. Confusing in the check-in zone but once you pass security fantastic shopping plenty of space to sit good indications and long distances so enough time is needed to join the flights to Africa.

BOM-BRU-CDG. Transit through BRU on Jet Airways. Landed at 0750 at concourse B with onward flight to CDG at 0940 from concourse A. After a long walk through concourse B reached passport control. 4 counters operating for non EU citizens with more than 200 people in line. Took an agonizing 1 hour and 10 min to clear. Again a long walk to reach concourse A. Security check took another 10 min. Had to rush to my gate to avoid missing the flight and reached just 2 minutes before scheduled departure time. No clear or enough directions to reach the gates. I guess the airlines are used to it and they waited for an additional 15-20 minutes for passengers who were stuck in the BRU maze. Please avoid transiting through BRU if you can or allow at least 3 hours to transit.