Booking

This time we have a mini review of Brussels Airlines Business Class. Everything was originally booked on two Economy Class tickets, though on the return leg an upgrade to Business Class came through. As always, we booked directly through Swiss, which also means we’re occasionally notified of (minor) flight irregularities.

Before departure we spent some time in The Loft Lounge (an updated review will follow here soon). The exceptionally attentive service stood out there as well — staff came over one more time specifically to check whether we needed anything else, such as coffee.

The seat pitch in Economy is 30 cm. In Business Class it is also 30 cm — however, as you’d expect, the middle seat is kept free.

Dining

In general, you can order something on Brussels Airlines flights (though no hot snacks were offered on this particular flight).

Here is what the food and drinks in Business Class looked like:

Breakfast was served on a tray (accompanied by warm rolls, unfortunately not visible in the photo). The quality was very good — the fruit tasted fresh and was genuinely enjoyable. Whether a vegetarian alternative was available I unfortunately cannot say.

With drinks, you could choose whatever you liked and were proactively asked whether you’d like more. That said, I made do with just a coffee and orange juice for once.

Brussels Airlines menu for the Brussels Bistro in Summer 2022

Brussels Airlines Hot Meals Menu with various dishes

Airplane menu deals with various deal packages

Hot drinks menu with beverages and snacks

Wine, spirits, and beer menu with prices and bottle images

Business class breakfast on airplane tray with fruit, cheese, and meat

Airplane tray table with drinks and powdered milk

Service

The outbound flight was roughly on a Ryanair level — nothing worth writing home about. Unlike other airlines in the Lufthansa Group, there wasn’t even a sip of water on offer.

The return flight, on the other hand, was a night-and-day difference. Not only was there a personal welcome from the purser (I was apparently the only HON on board), but the delay was also explained, and since there was both space and food available in Business Class, we were asked whether we’d prefer to move up two rows. We were very happy to take them up on that. Given the early departure (before 7 a.m.), breakfast was served — and it really highlighted just how excellent the service at Brussels Airlines can be. What stood out most was the genuine friendliness of the crew; you truly felt welcome.

Verdict

Yes, the outbound flight was genuinely poor — even if expectations weren’t particularly high to begin with. The return flight showed just how warm and friendly the crew can be. And that’s not about the upgrade — from what I could tell, they were simply in great spirits despite the early hour. Would I have paid the requested amount for the upgrade? Probably not. For one, I’d had the chance to eat and drink in the lounge beforehand — and on a short route like this, Buy on Board would have been far more cost-effective.