Belgium’s largest and busiest airport, Brussels Airport at Zaventem in Flemish Brabant has announced a 500-million-euro investment package that will enable it to cope with a growth in passenger numbers during the coming years. Both the departure and arrival halls at the airport will be expanded and there will be a new transport hub for public transport. Brussels Airport even plans to open a park within the airport’s grounds.
Brussels Airport to invest half a billion euro to help it cope with a growth in passenger numbers
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Brussels Airport says that this is the largest investment at the airport in 30 years. The company in charge of running Belgium’s busiest airport plans to invest half a billion euro in order to be able to cope with a 33% increase in passenger numbers between now and 2032.
In 2024 there were 24 million passengers. This is forecast to increase to 32 million passengers per annum in 2032. Currently the airport has a capacity for 30 million passengers per annum.
Under the plans announced on Friday morning both the departure and arrival halls at Zaventem will be expanded. The aim is to provide better connectivity with other modes of transport and to create more space to accommodate an increase in the number of passengers.
Investment will be made to build a tram station and to provide better access to the airport for cyclists. More access points to the terminal building will be created in order to releave congestion on existing escalators that lead to and from the airport’s railway station, bus station and taxi rank.
The bus station and taxi rank will also be renovated and improved.
The plans also include the creation of a “Green Boulevard” that will include a park. There will be a new drop-off zone, near to the departure hall where passengers can be dropped off by car. The aim here is to separate cars dropping people off from other traffic.
A new 300-room hotel will also be built within the airport’s grounds. The 4-star hotel will be in addition to the existing Sheraton Hotel that Brussels Airport’s CEO Arnaud Feist says is now approaching the limits of its capacity. Mr Feist also says that there will be improvements to parking facilities.
Timing
The drop-off areas will be moved next year. The new public transport hub will be constructed between 2028 and 2030 and the work on the terminal building, the hotel and the “Green Boulevard” will be completed sometime between 2030 and 2032.