Brussels Airport

From Freepedia

Brussels Airport (Dutch: Luchthaven Brussel, French: l'Aéroport de Bruxelles), also called Brussels National Airport or Zaventem Airport, is an international airport located in Zaventem, in Flanders, near Brussels, Belgium. The airport is a hub to SN Brussels Airlines, Virgin Express and DHL Aviation, has the IATA Airport Code BRU and the ICAO Airport Code EBBR.

The airport was created during World War II by the German occupying force. There is an urban legend about the airport creation in Zaventem. According to this legend, the Germans would have built the airport after asking locals what was the best place to build it, and Belgians then would have pointed them this location because they knew it was an often foggy place.

After the German occupation, the Belgian army took control over the airport. When the old civil airport in Haren became too small, it was decided to use the terrains in Zaventem as the new national airport. By 1948, a new terminal building was constructed to replace the old wooden building.

In 1955, a trainline connecting Brussels with the airport was inaugurated by King Baudouin. Currently a direct train link with Antwerp, Leuven and Liège is under construction. In April 1957, construction started of the new terminal, preparing the airport for the 1958 World Fair. During the boom of commercial aviation in the 1960's and 1970's, several hangars were constructed. A new cargo terminal was constructed in 1976. In 1994, a brand new terminal was constructed adjacent to the old 1958 building. Two old piers were torn down and replaced by modern ones. In 2002, amidst the turmoil engulfing the demise of Sabena, a new pier was opened. This Pier A is destined to support flights from and to the Schengen countries.

Sabena's demise meant a sharp fall in passenger traffic, a blow the airport only slowly recovered from. The airport's future is threatened by disagreement between the governments of Flanders and the Brussels Capital Region concerning nocturnal air traffic routes.