Brussels Airport is hosting its annual "spotters day" on Monday. For the first time, 20 passionate plane spotters will be able to watch, film, and photograph arriving and departing aircraft from the tarmac.
The 20 participants were selected through an online contest, in which 165 candidates answered questions about the airport and submitted their best aircraft photos.
Today, the winners will not only get a close-up look at the aircraft, but they will also witness the technical maintenance of an aircraft in a Brussels Airlines hangar this afternoon. Finally, there will be a stop at the Melsbroek military airfield to admire the large A400M transport aircraft.
"Brussels Airport has two spotting platforms around the airport that are freely accessible," said spokesperson Jeffrey Franssens. "But what makes Monday's event unique is that spotters can come right onto the tarmac and – naturally, from a safe distance – capture the aircraft. 70 airlines operate at Brussels Airport, including intercontinental and government aircraft."
Spotters' Day at Brussels Airport, in Zaventem, on Monday 11 August 2025. Credit: Belga/Nicolas Maeterlinck
"On Monday, some airlines are deploying their aircraft with special liveries because they know we are organising our Spotters' Day," he said. For example, spotters saw the "Trident" (Brussels Airlines' Red Devils aircraft) fly by.
They also noticed other aircraft that are very special to them. "I saw an Icelandic aircraft landing that has never been to Brussels Airport before," says Lowie Van Gorp. He added it to his collection of 100,000 photos taken over the past two years. Maarten De Bondt spotted a Pakistani army aircraft, and "it's also great that we saw a large Boeing 787 up close. That's fantastic."
This is the eighth annual event organised by the airport to thank its large spotting community.
