Brussels Airlines unveils its new ‘Atomium plane’

Brussels Airlines has presented its new themed aircraft, an Airbus A320 painted with a design based on the Atomium. The theme was chosen after a design competition. The first commercial flight of ‘Atomium’ is scheduled today toward Prague.

However, on Monday, it will most likely not fly. Due to the general strike in Belgium directed against federal government plans, almost all of Brussels’s 200 flights have been canceled, except for a dozen flights bound for Belgium.

‘Perfect marriage of two Belgian icons’

Julie Almau Gonzalez, Atomium’s general manager, calls the collaboration with Brussels Airlines “a perfect marriage of two Belgian icons.”

“Just as the Atomium has welcomed visitors from around the world since 1958, Brussels Airlines connects Belgium with global destinations every day,” Almau Gonzalez said.

“With the Atomium plane, one of Belgium’s most famous monuments will be visible in many countries, even to people who may never have the chance to visit Brussels.”

For Dorothea von Boxberg, the CEO of Brussels Airlines, choosing from more than 900 entries the design by Thomas Faes, a Belgian architect who has been fascinated by the Atomium since childhood, was “difficult, but in the end, as far as I am concerned, a fairly obvious choice.”

“There have long been subtle references to the Atomium in our identity, such as the nine spheres of our logo or on the tail of our planes to the lining of the blazers or the scarves in our uniforms.”

400 liters of paint

The painting process required more than 400 liters of paint and took about 2,400 hours from start to finish. Renowned XXL airbrush artist André Eisele, who worked on all eight previous Belgian Icons, was again in charge of the creation.

The interior of this Belgian Icon is also remarkable, with subtle references to the building’s history. For example, original sketches and historical photos of its construction in 1958 have been incorporated into the plane’s interior. The monument can also be found on the central aisle’s floor mat or the seats’ headrests.

Designer Thomas Faes is “incredibly proud of the result, which combines elegance with modernity.” “I will also never forget the very first 3D simulation—that moment when you can really see that it has the desired impact. Equally unforgettable is seeing the plane in real life and experiencing the magical transition from concept to reality.”

Fifth themed plane

Brussels Airlines presented its first themed aircraft in March 2015. That was the Tintin plane, ‘Rackham,’ which is still flying around. ‘Atomium is the fourth such ‘Belgian Icon’ in the current fleet, which also includes the Tomorrowland plane, ‘Amare,’ and ‘Trident,’ the official plane of the Red Devils and Red Flames.

A fifth themed plane will be added in November. Its theme is still a secret.

No flights

Less good news for travelers is that due to the general strike on March 31st, Brussels Airlines is canceling almost all flights that day. No passenger flights will be able to leave Brussels Airport on Monday.

This is because many security personnel and handling agent employees will be on strike, making it impossible to guarantee passenger safety during normal operations and leading to long queues.

However, the impact on returning flights is also significant. Brussels Airlines says, “We will retain 10% of the inbound flights. These are intra-European flights from Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Brussels Airlines has 100 departures and 100 arrivals at Brussels Airport on a typical day. Last week, travelers were allowed to rebook their Monday scheduled flight for free or request a refund.

TUI Fly, another major payer at Brussels Airport, examines whether flights scheduled for Monday can depart from alternative airports.