Mumbai07 Sep 22 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Brussels
About Brussels
As the de facto capital to the European Union, Brussels is a city that celebrates Flemish culture with exquisite architecture. The city is blessed with rich Gothic and Baroque-styled architecture that adds to the beauty of Brussels. The city is the capital of Belgium and has influences of the Dutch and French as it was once a colony. Brussels is one of the populated cities in Belgian and enjoys the status of being the wealthiest city in the country. Brussels has also turned into an important political and financial centre on international levels. The city is bilingual with citizens speaking both Dutch and French. However, the population leans more towards the French language.
Brussels is blessed with some exquisite UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Grand Palace. While the city has some of the finest architectural bliss to witness, it's the food and beer culture that caters to a wide population of tourists. The Belgian witbier is a famous crafted beer that has been recognised worldwide. Even the waffles made by the Belgians have received honour and stature in the culinary industry to be the best. Booking a flight ticket to Brussels is quite convenient, as is living in the city. There are many options for a backpacker or even a luxury traveller to be entertained as Brussels does accommodate all kinds of travellers.
The hotel rooms are also cheap, provided you make some prior bookings and ensure to get your travel expenses sorted beforehand. It's all about planning perfectly.
Best time to visit Brussels
Spring and fall are the best seasons in which you can visit Brussels. The months March to May and September to October, see Brussels in new lights. With the onset of summer, the city rings in various music festivals as the climate is drier in comparison to other times. With the temperatures falling between 10 degree Celsius to 15 degree Celsius, the chill breeze roaming the city paints quite a romantic picture. This is also a favourable time to visit for many tourists, making flight tickets to Brussels slightly expenses. Even accommodations take a hike with tourists from the UK, Netherlands, Germany and other parts of the neighbouring cities visiting the city. Mainly, people flock over to Brussels to revel in the carnival hosted in the city. In the month of May, the city hosts Iris Day Festival and Brussels Jazz Weekend. These festivities often pique the interests of tourists who wish to engage in the carnivalesque celebrations. During this time, flight tickets to Brussels see a spike, as does the accommodation. The best thing that would make sense for you is to book your flight tickets and hotels in Brussels, months ahead. You might also receive some cheap flight deals online.
September to October sees the temperatures fall to the mid-60s. The atmosphere is quite breezy and beautiful, which makes travelling within the city a good trip. In September, Brussels hosts the Brussels Comic Strip Festival as well as Belgian Beer Weekend. These festivals are attractive, they don't bring in as much crowd as one would hope. Travelling to Brussels from India during September and October would be quite fun as the temperatures are lovely. Plus, with less crowd, the accommodation also sees a drop, giving you ample options to choose instead of settling for some hotel in Brussels.
Place to visit in Brussels
Brussels is blessed with some very European tourist attractions. From the Belgian Comic Strip Museum to the Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, many places in the city would give you the tourist vibe and at the same time will pique your interest. To start with, the first on your list should be the Grand Palace, a royal Gothic and Baroque-style structure that has even been tagged by the UNESCO World Heritage Site. While you're around this area, you can also visit the attractions close to the palace such as St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral. The famous Manneken-Pis, literally a bronze statue of a small boy relieving himself, is a landmark that should definitely be witnessed. The city also has a museum dedicated to musical instruments called Musical Instruments Museum. It's quite a fancy place to visit as it houses 1,200 instruments extracted from around the world. You should also check out archaic Renaissance-inspired arcade Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubter, which is also popularly called 'umbrella of Brussels' in the city.
Things to do in Brussels
At Brussels, there are two things that you simply cannot miss, waffles and beer. The country is famed for its Belgian waffles and Belgian witbier. You can either go separately on an excursion to check out waffles and beers, or you can mix it up in one tour. Brewery hopping is certainly something you would enjoy as you will get to taste some of their finest crafted beers. A day at the theme park, Mini Europe, will do you good. You can take a day trip to the theme park and get to see miniature versions of all the famous European tourist attractions. Plus, their chocolates are another trip to the factory that deserve to be explored.
Food and Restaurants in Brussels
Brussels sees an interesting amalgam of flavours from the French and Dutch style of cooking. Needless to say, mussels also play an important role in their cuisine. Their dish for summer, mosselen-friet, is a lovely melange of mussels and fries, something that would definitely go down well with you. One of the main reasons why summer is ideal to try this dish out is because it is the harvest season of mussels, which means you will be blessed with some lip-smacking fresh mussels on a plate. Much of their cuisine gives seafood a lot of emphasis. Garnalen krokkettenm, one of their dishes, is basically varied types of teeny grey shrimp put together with rich béchamel sauce and served with bread. While seafood does take centre stage in their cuisine, the Belgians do know how to cook good meat as well. You will find some impeccable thick beef stew which is often cooked with beer. Speaking of which, beer plays a staple to their meals just like Belgian frites (fries), and stoemp is to their evening meals. They simply cannot do without the presence of potato and beer.
Talk about Belgian food, and you simply cannot miss waffles and chocolates. They definitely know how to make people go weak in the knees with their savouries. The country is literally recognised for the waffles made by them. While you will see various toppings put on the dessert, the best is the classic Belgian waffle with whipped cream and probably Nutella. Some patisseries don't even add these toppings and let the customer experience the true nature of a lovely plain and crispy waffle. For the classic Belgian food interspersed with French cuisine, head straight to Maison Antoine. As for some more interesting take on Belgian recipes visit Pistolet Original, Au Vieux Marché, Le Clan des Belges, Noordzee Mer du Nord, La Quincaillerie and Delirium Cafe, to name a few. You will return with a big smile on your face after visiting these restaurants and their exquisite culinary.
How to reach Brussels (Transportation)
By Air
As the capital of Belgian, Brussels airport witnesses a good number of tourists at the Brussels International Airport. Flight connectivity of Brussels to many important European cities is excellent. Although the city's airport is located in Flanders, which is away from the Brussels main city, thanks to airport shuttle services, buses and rentals, travelling within the city are possible and convenient. You can book direct flights to Brussels from India. Cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai. Kolkata, Kochi and Bangalore have provisions of direct flights to Brussels. While there are some airlines that would have layovers or might need connecting flights, usually that's not a problem.
The major Indian cities provide non-stop flights to Brussels, making travelling favourable and seamless. Airlines such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air India, Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch, Air France, Gulf Air, have frequent flights connecting Brussels and India. Booking your flight tickets to Brussels from India should be done well in advance though, if you wish to get good flight deals. It would be even better if you peruse through online for flight as well as accommodation deals. Options from luxury stay to hostels are available. As long as you book your hotel in Brussels before leaving India, it would be favourable.
By Rail
Many travellers visiting Brussels are often travelling across Europe. The connectivity of the European countries is immaculate, making travel easier. Even for Brussels, you can take flights to Germany, Netherlands or France, have some good time exploring those countries and then take a train to Brussels. A majority of the big European cities are connected by rails. Not only would the trip be amusing as the scenic views are worth all the duration, but this way, you can save up as well. Multiple rail options are available from Munich, Luxembourg, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin and more.
About Iberia Airlines
Iberia, legally incorporated as Iberia, Líneas Aéreas de España, S.A. Operadora, Sociedad Unipersonal, is the national flag carrier of Spain. The airline was founded in 1927 and is recognised as one of the old European airlines prevalent. Based out of Madrid, the airline operates a slew of international routes from its base at Madrid-Barajas Airport. Iberia, along with Iberia Regional (predominantly operated by Air Nostrum, an independent carrier based in Valencia) and Iberia Express, are all part of the International Airlines Group, along with British Airways, Aer Lingus and more. Iberia group of airlines cater to the transportation of passengers as well as freight. Some of the other airline-related activities undertaken by the airline include aircraft maintenance, in-flight catering and airport handlings. Currently, Iberia group of airlines cater to about 109 destinations in the world with an additional 90 destinations that are connected, thanks to their codesharing agreements with a bunch of airlines. It is easily one of the best airlines in Spain.
With capital financing initiated by Horacio Echevarrieta and Deutsche Luft Hansa of a whopping 1.1 million pesetas, Iberia, Compañía Aérea de Transportes was formed in 1927. Flight operations for the same commenced in the same year. The company received government sponsorship the following year as they needed the airline to provide for postal transportation between Barcelona and Madrid. Under the dictatorial rule of President Miguel Primo de Rivera between 1923 to 1930, the operations of the aviation companies were combined to operate as a state-owned and controlled public entity directly. This resulted in the merger of Iberia with Compañía de Líneas Aéreas Subvencionadas S.A. with all its independent activities ceased.
Further, with the Spanish War taking place and the series of political unrest that took over the world, Iberia also played a role in providing air transport to the nation. They deployed many aircraft from their fleet. The airline has witnessed quite a flourishing history and has been a part of a major part it too. Over the years, the airline worked towards expanding their business to connect to many other international routes and further introduce newer routes to enhance its demand in the aviation industry in the European Union.
For a brief period of time, Iberia was privatised in 2001 which led to its name being listed on a handful of stock exchanges. In fact, they also introduced their own low-cost carrier, Clickair, operations of which commenced in 2006. The airline's subsidiary helped strengthen their domestic route connectivity until Vueling Airlines came into the picture to pose as a serious threat. Iberia was part of the Oneworld airline alliance. However, they soon withdrew from the airline alliance. Over the years, Iberia has witnessed several big shareholders from entering in the business and ceasing investment. In 2010, British Airways and Iberia announced that they would be signing an agreement to merge and make for combined operations. Following the merger, Iberia and British Airways became the third largest commercial airline across the globe with respect to revenue. The merger brought forth a new company, popularly known as International Airlines Group (IAG), which was established in 2011. Despite the formation of a new company, British Airways and Iberia continue to work under the original airline brands that they are recognised for.
Fleet size of Iberia
As of 2020, Iberia's fleet size stands at 84 aircraft. It is an all-Airbus fleet which has variants from the European-manufacturer's aircraft family. Part of the airline's fleet is 11 Airbus A319-100s, 14 Airbus A320-200s, six Airbus A320neos, 11 Airbus A321-200s, 12 Airbus A330-200s, eight Airbus A330-300s, 16 Airbus A340-600s and six Airbus A350-900s. They have also made a few orders such as four Airbus A321neos, 12 Airbus A320neos, eight Airbus A321XLR and 14 Airbus A350-900s. As the Airbus A340-600 is all set to retire, they will be replaced with the Airbus A350-900s that have been ordered by Iberia. Although in the past, Iberia did have a mixed fleet which comprised of Boeing aircraft along with Convair 440, de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide, Douglas DC models, Fokker F28 Fellowship, Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, McDonnell Douglass DC-10, Junkers and more. However, they opted to transform their fleet into an all-Airbus to enhance the aircraft's efficiency and better accommodation for in-flight services and cabin classes.
Baggage Allowance
Iberia maintains a baggage allowance policy that is predominantly followed by a majority of global airlines. The checked baggage that the airline accommodates is 23 kg, which can be exceeded the maximum to 32 kg. Depending on the ticket type and cabin class, the passenger will also receive bonus pieces of baggage that can be carried. Beyond 32 kg though, the airline will charge a fee of 60€ per baggage. Passengers travelling from the economy class are allowed to carry one piece of checked baggage. As for full economy and business class passengers, the number of baggage that can be carried for free is two. Business plus class passengers have the best resources as they can carry three pieces of checked baggage with them. While the checked baggage provisions are quite convenient, the airline does expect passengers to be very careful of the dimensions of their baggage. The maximum dimension of checked baggage cannot exceed 158 cm. It is very important for passengers to follow this specific clause as the airline will reject or ask the passenger to send the baggage as cargo.
In-flight services
Iberia's in-flight services are one of the best in the airline industry. Owing to the number of cabin classes, the facilities have also been upgraded. Thanks to their fleet turning all-Airbus, the aircraft has the best amenities such as better seats, excellent seating configuration, more legroom, new in-flight entertainment systems, to name a few. Further, passengers can also enjoy lip-smacking Spanish and global cuisine as it comes with their in-flight meal menu. You will be welcomed with a glass of alcoholic beverage as a smiling flight attendant will help you settle in, ahead of your journey.
Popular routes and top cities for Iberia
Iberia is one of the few airlines in the world to have phenomenal connectivity with South American destinations. The airline boasts a long list of international routes that connect to some of the biggest cities in the South American continent. Following this, Iberia also has a good presence in the European and South American market. Although the airline hasn't explored much of the Asian market yet, they do have a few codeshare agreements with airlines that directly connect with Asian countries. Airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines and Hainan Airlines have codeshare agreements with Iberia. Some of the top cities that Iberia connects with on the international route includes Algiers, Buenos Aires, Vienna, Brussels, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Bogota, San Jose, Dubrovnik, Havana, Prague, Quito, Cairo, Paris, Marseille, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Athens, Budapest, Tel Aviv, Florence, Milan, Rome, Tokyo, Kuwait City, Luxembourg City, Mexico City, Marrakech, Panama City, Oslo, Lisbon, San Juan, Stockholm, Zurich, London, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Montevideo and Caracas. Further, their domestic route is also quite strong with connectivity to about 26 destinations in Spain. These include Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Madrid, Las Palmas, Palma de Mallorca, Granada and San Sebastian, to name a few.
Why travel by Iberia?
Iberia Airlines has built quite a reputation for itself as one of the top European airlines. With its rich and illustrious history, the airline has triumphed through various challenges and also become the largest airline in Spain. Ever since its merger with British Airways and the formation of International Airlines Group, Iberia's domestic route and international route connectivity has expanded. They are now able to accommodate newer routes and reach to bigger cities and destination across the world. It is not just their route expansions that have enhanced over the years. They have also worked towards bringing the best in-flight services and cater to all the travel needs of customers. Iberia's fleet has also been transformed into a kind that accommodates diverse cabin classes, is well-equipped and is more efficient in terms of fuel and engines.
With a means to make the passenger's travel diaries less cumbersome, the airline has also introduced various online benefits. These include web check-in facilities that can be found on the official website of Iberia. Travellers can book an Iberia flight ticket on their website and find the same in various other travel portals too, thanks to its presence worldwide. The airline has also installed programmes that enable passengers to get an update of their flight status as well as Iberia's flight schedule. This would further help them with their booking. Further, the airline's other perks include the fact that they have put all necessary and important details regarding the flight, the baggage allowance and in-flight services.
The airline also has a bunch of mileage programmes that passengers could consider if they are frequent flyers. Again, details can be found on the airline's official website. Their tie-ups with hotels in a few international destinations would come in handy as gives passengers discounts on their accommodation too.
