Brussels Airport and Brussels Airlines launch new "Baggage drop-off"

Online checked-in passengers
can now check in their baggage themselves

At Brussels Airport, passengers flying with Brussels Airlines can make use of a new system to check in their baggage themselves. Since this summer, passengers who are checked in online can use their boarding pass to print the baggage label for their suitcase at one of the 16 kiosks at the airport and then place the baggage on one of the six luggage belts. The "Baggage drop-off" results in considerable time-saving for the passengers. The new system was gradually taken in use over the summer holidays and is now fully operational.

This summer, Brussels Airport introduced a new system to allow passengers to check in their baggage themselves at the airport. Using their boarding pass, passengers for short and medium haul destinations operated by Brussels Airlines and the other companies in the Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian), can now print out their own baggage label and check in their suitcase themselves. For this, a new zone has been installed near check-in row 4, featuring 16 label kiosks and 6 bag drops where the suitcase is weighed and placed on the belt to the baggage hall. Agents of Brussels Airlines can help the passengers if assistance is desired.

This Baggage drop-off offers significant time savings for passengers as more passengers can present their bags at the same time. Since more than 75% of the passengers of Brussels Airlines already check in at home and have their boarding pass with them, they can check in their suitcase and continue their journey quicker using this system. With this Baggage drop-off, up to 400 passengers per hour can check in their baggage. Passengers can of course also still make use of the manned check-in desks.

This system was systematically deployed during the summer holidays and is now fully operational. During the months of July and August, already 35.000 suitcases, or almost 10% of the suitcases of the short and medium haul flights of the Lufthansa Group, were checked in using the Baggage drop-off. This is an extensive pilot during which the system will be closely monitored, with a view to expansion possibilities in the future.

About Brussels Airport 
Brussels Airport is one of the most important airports in Europe. In 2021 the airport welcomed 9.4 million passengers, compared to 26.4 million passengers in 2019. The airport also has an important cargo activity with more than 843,000 tonnes of cargo transported in 2021. Brussels Airport caters for the specific needs of business travellers and holidaymakers alike, on intra-European as well as long haul flights. In 2022, it offers direct connections to more than 200 destinations.  
The airport also offers a leading cargo platform, specialised in the transport of pharmaceutical products, perishable goods, e-commerce and live animals. Brussels Airport is the most important pharmaceutical hub in Europe with the largest surface of temperature-controlled warehouses, thus supporting the global fight against Covid-19. 
Brussels Airport is the second most important economic growth pool in Belgium, good for 24,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs and is operated by Brussels Airport Company. Its shareholders are the Belgian State (25%) and a consortium of private investors (75%).

About Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines is the national airline of Belgium and one of the four network companies of the Lufthansa Group. From Brussels Airport, they connect the capital of Europe with more than 85 destinations, including 17 in Sub Sahara Africa. The company deploys 3,100 employees and operates 41 aircraft.
Brussels Airlines want to emit 50% less CO2 by 2030 compared to 2019 and plans to be CO2 neutral by 2050. The airline is participating in the Stargate Project that is led by Brussels Airport and is part of the testing ground for sustainable aviation at its home base. In 2021, the company also signed the Circular Economy agreement of the Antwerp Management School. In 2023, Brussels Airlines will be welcoming three brand-new Airbus A320neo aircraft, which will allow the airline to significantly reduce its CO2 and noise footprint in its medium-distance network. In addition, the airline will be operating its first flight with sustainable fuel or SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) by 2023.
As ambassador for its country, Brussels Airlines brings the world to Belgium and the best of Belgium to the world, with such things as partnerships with Belgian star chefs, Belgian culinary products and the Belgian Icons, specially painted aircraft that pay homage to an iconic Belgian person, team or event to promote the Belgian culture throughout the world.
More information at brusselsairlines.com