brusselsairport.be

Chaotic, Dirty & Rude Staff

I’ve been to many airports, but I found this one incredibly grim, dirty, and full of rude staff.I was traveling to Malta and decided to fly from Brussels because it was much cheaper than from Amsterdam, where I live. Upon arrival, it was okay. I came by Flixbus and had to walk through a covered path to the airport, which was really rough on my suitcase wheels, but that’s to be expected given the poor quality of the carroads.Since my flight was in the evening and I arrived early to explore Brussels, I decided to temporarily store my luggage in a locker. The entrance was full of not only travelers but also beggars asking for money and cigarettes. Everything was too dirty to touch (and I’m not even germophobic), and the staff I encountered were rude, unhelpful, and unfriendly. The lockers were located in a secluded area near the bike parking. There were cameras, but they offered little comfort when standing there alone in the dark among shady people.When it was time for my flight, I realized I hadn’t checked-in my checked baggage (my misstake). At security, the staff initially insisted my small bag was cabin baggage, even though I had paid for checked-in baggage, and they said the bottle over 100ml had to be discarded. Only after I argued that I had paid for checked-in baggage did they allow me to go back and check it in. I had arrived early, but the check-in desk was still closed. Thankfully, the information desk was very kind and let me know when and where it would open. I had to wait over an hour with very limited options for where to go. Once the desk opened, I got everything sorted and returned to security.Since I had already scanned my ticket earlier, I wasn’t allowed to go through immediately and had to go to a separate line. One staff member had already cleared me, but a young girl stopped me, loudly questioning whether I had permission to pass. Eventually, it was resolved, and I got through, but her way of treating me, felt like I was a criminal.Behind security, there was enough seating and space to wander.On my return, I had another frustrating experience. My checked luggage was missing. The drop-off area required a 10–15 minute walk from the plane, and no staff were available for assistance. I wasn’t the only one, other passengers were also waiting. After about 30 minutes with no luggage, we found another drop-off area where our bags were finally located. There were no signs indicating where exactly to collect luggage, which would have been very helpful.Next, I tried to find the exit. There was a huge hall for taxis but no indication of where buses departed. I urgently needed a restroom, but there were none in sight. After another a while, I finally found one. The cleaner there was incredibly kind (he could probably teach the ground staff a thing or two about hospitality).While heading to the exit, I encountered ground staff joking and roughly moving around. I was almost kicked in the face. Joking is fine, but this was unacceptable.On the escalators, I saw an older couple who spoke only French. Four airport staff passed by them and refused to help, raising their hands and saying, “No, can’t help” or “Not now.” I have literally never seen such rude behavior anywhere, not even in a shop or supermarket.Finally, I had to find my way to the Flixbus. Again, there were no signs or instructions. With the help of a fellow traveler and a few tourists, I finally made it out.In short, I found this airport extremely rude, dirty, chaotic, unhelpful, and unsafe. The only advantage is the significantly lower flight prices. Otherwise, it is shocking for a Western country, especially regarding safety. In contrast, Malta was spotless, you could practically eat off the ground. No question was too much there, and even though it’s small and impossible to get lost, there are clear signs everywhere.

Date of experience: Feb 09, 2026