Twelve days on, Brussels airport reopened for three 'symbolic' flights

Airport authorities said three Brussels Airlines' flights would depart for European destinations.

The first passenger flight since the attacks on Brussels Airport on 22 March took off on the afternoon of April 3 at around 1.40 pm.

The attacks, in which three suicide bombers also died, were claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group.

Heavily armed police and soldiers manned the access roads to the airport, ushering the first passengers into the large white tents serving as a temporary check-in facility, AFP reporters saw. He hopes full service can be restored by the beginning of July in time for the summer vacation season.

Another bombing that day on a Brussels subway train killed 16 other people. The departure of the first passenger flight was an emotional moment for the entire airport community and is a symbol for a new start and for the energy, solidarity and commitment of all airport staff.

Brussels Airport reopened for a small number of passenger flights Sunday, almost two weeks after it was hit by deadly terrorist attacks.

Further flights will be added in coming days, Feist said.

The Magritte aircraft of Brussels Airlines took off to Faro in Portugal.

Airport officials had hoped to resume flights Friday, but the reopening was moved to Sunday after a strike by the airport police, who wanted "tighter security".

The first passenger jet has departed Brussels Airport since the terror attacks that struck 12 days ago - a symbolic step toward normalcy in the Belgian capital. Rioting took place last night in the Brussels district of Molenbeek, home to the organisers of the attacks in the Belgian capital and in Paris in November, Belgian media reported.

The airport was expected to resume limited operations on Sunday, according to the AJC.

"We are more than an airport..."

Effective Monday, Belgium's biggest airport should be back at around 20 percent of capacity and able to process 800 passengers an hour. Initially, the airport will only be accessible by auto and vehicles would be screened and subjected to spot checks.

The airport has been closed after two bombs were detonated inside the facility on March 22 as dozens of travelers were preparing to check in for flights.

Handling almost 23.5m passengers in 2015, Brussels Airport is one of the largest airports in Europe and the main airport in Belgium.

Source: Twelve days on, Brussels airport reopened for three 'symbolic' flights