Jump to content

Praise for Brussels Airlines


pinotlover
 Share

Recommended Posts

Boarding was fast, efficient, and very pleasant!

 

How did they achieve it? All bags were weighed and size checked at the check in counter. If one’s bag was either oversized or overweight for carry on, it had to be checked. All carry on, excluding purses and small bags, approved for carry on was given a red tag. The gate agents then checked for the tags at boarding.

 

Boarding was so smooth! Wish the US airlines would do the same.

 

Produced ticked off US passengers. Oversized or overweight bag meant they lost the piece until arrival in the US! The classic was the lady with a 20 Kg roller where only 7.5 Kg was allowed! How did she get 20 Kg into that little roller? Lots of oversized bags forced to be checked not allowed as carry on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We also used Brussels Air. Loved it. Austrian Air is very good also. Brussels Air paint their planes in a quirky manner. Outside and inside. Here’s a snap of the plane that flew us from Belgium to Nice this summer. Evidently the Smurfs are from Brussels. Who knew? lol 4fcf3dd3d510d2381b9012721ac1fe12.jpg4c3e006395c7e47133505bdb308639f1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A smurfs plane!

 

I've got to figure out a way to fly this airline... :D

I'm flying from Rome to Brussels next March with Brussels Air. Then Toronto / Vancouver. Aeroplan flight. Saved a lot of taxes doing this route.

Hope I get a smurf plane.

 

Good to hear too that they are strict with carryon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is this airline the successor to Sabena Airlines?

 

Indirectly.

 

Simple version: Sabena went into bankruptcy in 2001. A subsidiary of Sabena was "rescued" from the bankruptcy and into SN Brussels Airlines. SN Brussels later merged with Virgin Express and became Brussels Airlines. It is now 100% owned by Lufthansa.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indirectly.

 

Simple version: Sabena went into bankruptcy in 2001. A subsidiary of Sabena was "rescued" from the bankruptcy and into SN Brussels Airlines. SN Brussels later merged with Virgin Express and became Brussels Airlines. It is now 100% owned by Lufthansa.

 

Thanks. I had a friend who flew on Sabena from CVG to Brussels many years ago and was most pleased with her experience in Economy/Coach Class (whatever it was called then). I think it was a code share flight, but I don't know with which airline.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If only the US carriers would watch how much easier and smoother the boarding process is if they enforce their own rules!

 

It took mere seconds at the Brussels Airline checking counter to set you proposed carry on on the scale, certify weight and dimensions, and get the approval tag attached. Also they get to count the number of carry ons one is trying to take on. No approval tag, you’re pulled out at boarding. Hand check and pay at the gate. All very simple.

 

The US carrier system sucks!!!:mad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OTOH I arrived at Florence airport for a flight to Brussels in June. I was around 4 hours early. (My son was on a different flight and we had shared a cab.) Lufthansa check-in area was for all LH affiliated flights including Brussels Air. I was chased away and told to come back. So I killed time with a coffee or two then came back. There was a long line up for the dedicated Brussels flight check-in with only two agents working. All other check-in desks were empty, no passengers and four idle agents doing absolutely nothing. Really? Other than that, flight was fine. Interesting comment: we were flying from Italy to Belgium which has two official languages. All announcements were in English.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was a long line up for the dedicated Brussels flight check-in with only two agents working. All other check-in desks were empty, no passengers and four idle agents doing absolutely nothing. Really?
Why is that surprising? How do you know that the other check-in desks had the software and hardware connections and setup to handle an SN flight? How do you know what the physical layout of the baggage system at Florence airport is, and that bags sent from those desks would get to the correct place behind the scenes?

 

Interesting comment: we were flying from Italy to Belgium which has two official languages. All announcements were in English.
Again, why is that surprising? This is the 21st century, after all.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again, why is that surprising? This is the 21st century, after all.

 

I guess it's my Canadian mindset after flying on Air Canada so many times. There's a federal "Air Canada Act" which compels Air Canada to make announcements in English and French. Even at Heathrow. I doubt very much if there is a "Brussels Airlines Act".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...