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WORLD NEWSMonday 4 April 2016

1st passenger flight leaves Brussels since March 22 attacks

Airport workers wave as a Brussels Airlines plane taxis towards the runway at Brussels Airport, in Faro took off. “But we will ceremony. “We are turn-
Zaventem, Belgium, Sunday, April 3, 2016. It was an emotional send-off on Sunday for a Brussels never forget.” ing a page, a page full of
Airlines plane heading to the Portuguese city of Faro - the first passenger flight to take off from Damage was extensive blood, but we have to re-
Brussels Airport since the suicide bombings on March 22. when double suicide build this airport and we will
bombs exploded near its do so.”
(Benoit Doppagne/Pool Photo via AP) crowded check-in coun- New security measures at
ters 12 days ago, killing 16 the airport aimed to mini-
BISHR EL TOUNI months until full service is ence that the three flights and maiming people from mize the chances of any
ELAINE GANLEY back. were a “sign of hope” fol- around the world. Another repeat attacks.
Associated Press Security at the airport was lowing “the darkest days bombing that day on a Police on Sunday con-
BRUSSELS (AP) — It was an tight with new check-in in the history of aviation in Brussels subway train killed ducted spot checks of ve-
emotional send-off on Sun- procedures for passengers Belgium.” 16 other people. Both at- hicles before they arrived.
day for a Brussels Airlines in temporary structures. On Sunday, he thanked tacks were claimed by the A large white tent was set
plane heading to the Por- Two other planes were employees for their cour- Islamic State group. up outside the terminal to
tuguese city of Faro — the leaving Sunday — Brussels age, solidarity and the “im- Feist said Belgium’s biggest screen travelers’ IDs, travel
first passenger flight to take Airlines flights to Athens pressive work carried out in airport would gradually documents and bags be-
off from Brussels Airport and Turin, Italy. The three so little time.” climb to 20 percent of ca- fore they were allowed to
since suicide bombings on flights were a test run for a “We are more than an pacity in the coming days, enter a specially built area
March 22 ripped through European aviation hub that airport ... We are a family able to process 800 pas- for check-in.
its check-in counters and used to handle 600 flights more bound together than sengers an hour — maxi- A drop-off parking area
killed 16 people. a day and plans to slowly ever,” he said at a ceremo- mum capacity for the tem- outside the terminal was
Airport officials suggested climb back to normal ca- ny at the airport. porary structures. He said closed down and authori-
the first flight out was a pacity. “It will take time to accept Saturday that he hoped full ties said there would be no
symbolic victory over those Arnaud Feist, the CEO of what happened and more service at the airport could rail or public transport ac-
who sowed death and Brussels Airport Co., said at time to get over the pain,” be restored by the end of cess to the airport for the
hate, but said it would be a Saturday news confer- Feist said as the flight for June or beginning of July, foreseeable future.
in time for the summer va- The bombers entered the
cation season. check-in area with suitcas-
However, traffic may take es packed with explosives
time to return to its previous and nails, and the result-
pace. Delta Airlines said on ing blasts collapsed the
Saturday that it was sus- airport’s ceiling and shat-
pending service between tered windows.
Atlanta and Brussels until The attacks have prompt-
March 2017. ed a wider discussion
“This is a very symbolic, also among aviation authori-
a very emotional moment ties in many countries over
for the airport community,” whether to impose routine
airport president Marc De- security checks at the entry
scheemaecker said at the to airport terminals.