Business Trip Brussels Essay

My flight to Stockholm would be late landing. The pilot told us that we were in a stack of planes circling above the snow clouds that were giving capital of Belgium its starting time taste of winter. Air traffic control had closed the runways for a fiddling period at dawn, and the early morning flights from all around europium were now being allocated new landing slots along with the long-haul jumbos from the Far east and the US. After a 20-minute delay, we desc balanceed bumpily through the clouds, and landed on a tardily go alonged runway.Even then there was a further mince on a taxiway we were told that the de-icing of the apron was being faultless(prenominal) so that planes could proceed to their allocated stands and airbridges. All around the airport I could see the scuttle flashing beacons of the snow-clearing vehicles, the catering suppliers vans, the aviation fire trucks, the baggage trailers, buses transporting crews and passengers, security natural law cars, and an assortment of former(a) vehicles all going purposefully about their work.capital of Belgium airport always looks wide awake, with everywhere 10 million passengers a year, to a greater extentover this morning the complexity and scale of the operations were particularly evident. Finally, about an minute late, we pulled up to the gate, the engines were turned onward, and we disembarked into an icy-cold airbridge, leaving behind a particularly frowsy plane strewn with litter from a full cabin of restless passengers. We passed the team up of cleaners and maintenance staff waiting just outside.They will catch a hard time this morning more mess to clear and probably less time than usual to do it, as the respiratory tract will want a quick turnaround to furbish up thorn on to schedule, I commented to my colleagues. We could just hear the sounds of frantic activities going on below the plane baggage and cargo being unloaded, catering vehicles arriving, fuel being loaded, and te chnicians checking over the engines and control surfaces. Everyvirtuoso trying to get their work completed quickly and correctly, non least so that they could get back at heart out of the biting cold windFrom the airbridge we walked past the crowded position areas, where plane-sized groups were gathering anxiously awaiting the signal from the gate staff to board their often hold up flights. Then on to the moving walkways, conveyed leisurely past other disagreement lounges, equally overfilled with passengers. Anxious to get ahead of the crowd, we took to a rivulet pace past the rows of cafes, bars and shops, hoping to avoid the usual morning aline for Passport rig. I should have remembered the old saying more haste, less speed because my next journey was to the First Aid roomI had plain slipped on some spilt coffee that had not been cleaned up in the haste of the morning, and had fallen awkwardly, straining my ankle and breaking my nontaxable brandy. At least they would cle an the floor after that, I thought, sadly. Suitably spotty up, I hobbled with my colleagues and joined the long queue for Passport Control, and eventually through to Baggage Reclaim. Even with the excellent new baggage-handling remainss in Brussels, the passengers usually get there first, simply the accident had changed all thatScanning the video screens, we put together no reference to our flight arrival the remaining bags from our flight had apparently already been removed from the carousel and were stored in an adjacent office. After a simple signing ceremony, we were reunited with our belongings, and hastened (slowly in my case) to the taxi rank. Our hopes of a quick card to the city were dispelled when we saw the long queue in the icy wind, so we made our way to the station below, where a dedicated City show up train departs every 20 minutes for the Gare de Nord and Gare Centrale.We just missed one After a busy and successful day at our Brussels office, a taxi was called , and we were back at the airport in the duncish of the evening rush bit. The departures report area is the upper floor of a vast new terminal extension, and is very orderly and well equipped. veneer you on entry from the taxi drop-off point is a gigantic electronic display which lists all departures scheduled for the next few hours and demo the appropriate check-in desk number for each flight.The speed of the check-in systems has been better dramatically, so there was no queue at our desk, and the three of us were issued with boarding passes in only a couple of minutes. Our baggage sped past on conveyors down to the new sorting hall two storeys below. Brochures rationalize that the new terminal extension was designed to make it possible to go from check-in to final boarding in only 20 minutes, which has pertain investment in a state-of-the-art automated baggage-handling system.On my blend visit, following traffic delays on the way to the airport, I found that this system w orks, but I doubt that it would if everyone arrived only 20 minutes onwards departure It is no wonder that they advise checking in one hour before it also gives passengers much more time to spend property in the duty-free shops, restaurants and bars By this time, my injured leg had bootless up and was throbbing painfully. This seemed to be a routine situation for the check-in staff, who arranged for a wheelchair and attendant to take me through Border Control and security checks.While my colleagues travelled down to the departures hall by escalator, I took the slower route by lift, meeting just outside the duty-free shops where the attendant left them to take care of me. We had some time to spare, so we replenished the brandy, bought some Belgian chocolates and headed for a cafe-bar. While Brussels is renowned for its excellent cuisine, we didnt expect to find high standards of food in the quick-service environs of an airport, but we were wrongThe delicious aromas of freshly prep ared food attracted our custom, and we werent disappointed. After a welcome glass of speciality raspberry-flavoured beer to round off the meal, we headed for the airways executive lounge. The view across the airfield was not promising After a bright, crisp day, more snow-laden clouds had arrived and a shake wind cut across the tarmac. De-icing crews were working on the parked aircraft and others were treating the runways, winning quick action between the aircraft movements.Concerned that we might be delayed and miss our connection at Oslo, we checked with the staff at the airlines flight information desk. After some phoning, they confirmed that, although there could be some delays, Oslo had arranged to hold connecting flights, as some(prenominal) passengers originated from Brussels. Their professional and friendly advice made us feel much more at ease, and they even offered to allow us to send fax or phone messages to our destination. They couldnt have been more helpful.Announce ments of the minor delays were made over the speaker system, but it wasnt long before we were directed to the departure lounge and were preparing to board. Outside, around the aircraft in the gloom, the baggage trucks were pulling away and the behemoth push-off tractor was being connected up to the nose-wheel. Ten minutes later, we were at the end of the runway, ready for take-off. Today must have been a very busy one for everyone involved in keeping the airport open, I thought, but perhaps every day has its own challenges in such a complex operation.