Brussels Airport faced a major disruption on Saturday night when its terminal was evacuated following a bomb scare.
The incident unfolded around 23:00 local time, leading to the temporary closure of the departure hall and baggage area for a thorough inspection by the Federal Police.
The all-clear was given shortly before 02:00, but not before many passengers experienced significant delays.
The alert came after authorities received a suspicious report, prompting immediate action to ensure public safety.
“A suspicious report has come in, so the necessary measures have been taken,” said Ihsane Chioua Lehkli, a spokesperson for the Federal Police, in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws.
“Certain areas have been cleared and those are being monitored, so passengers will have to wait for a while. What I understand is that it concerns the departure hall and baggage claim.”
As a result of the evacuation, passengers and aircrew were initially asked to wait within the terminal. Many were barred from accessing the baggage hall and some were not allowed to disembark from their flights to prevent overcrowding at immigration.
The departure hall was closed off to ensure a comprehensive search and to avoid any potential security risks.
The baggage hall, which was the first area to be reopened, became accessible around 01:30. Despite this, travelers faced prolonged waiting times, with some reporting delays of up to 2.5 hours.
The temporary closure caused significant inconvenience for those affected, with many turning to social media to express their frustration over the extended waiting period.
Social media posts indicated that even after the official all-clear was issued, passengers continued to face delays due to ongoing security checks and the logistical challenges of resuming normal operations.
The extended wait times and the disruption to flights added to the frustration of travelers who had been caught in the emergency situation.
By 02:00, authorities had declared the situation under control and allowed passengers to re-enter the baggage hall.
However, the aftermath of the incident saw several hours of congestion as the airport worked to restore normalcy and address the backlog of passengers and flights affected by the evacuation.
The Federal Police’s quick response and thorough inspection were praised for preventing any potential threat from escalating.
While the incident caused considerable inconvenience, the timely all-clear ensured that safety remained the top priority at one of Europe’s busiest airports.
As the airport returned to normal operations, officials continued to investigate the source of the bomb threat to ensure that similar incidents are handled with the same level of vigilance and efficiency in the future.
The disruption serves as a reminder of the critical importance of airport security measures and the need for swift responses to potential threats.
