On Tuesday, hopes that Brussels could resume some flights by Wednesday were dashed when the airport announced it would remain closed at least until Thursday.  Airport staff were performing tests Tuesday on makeshift check-in and security areas that will be used temporarily once the airport reopens to passengers. The temporary facilities will allow the airport to restart with the ability to process 800 to 1,000 passengers per hour for check-in and security. That's a greatly reduced number compared to Brussels' typical average of 5,000 passengers per hour.

 

When it opens, the first few initial flights will first go to Belgian flag carrier Brussels Airlines. Brussels Air operates its main hub at the airport. It has made a limited return to service since the March 22 attacks by shifting a portion of its intra-Europe flights to two smaller Belgium airports and some of its long-haul flights to Frankfurt and Zurich, hubs of partners Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines, respectively. As capacity expands, flights on other carriers will be added to the mix.