First passenger flight since March 22 attacks takes off from Brussels airport

Three Brussels Airlines planes stand at departure gates at Brussels Airport, in Zaventem, Belgium, Sunday. (AP Photo)

A Brussels Airlines flight heading to the Portuguese city of Faro has taken off from Brussels Airport — the first passenger flight to leave the airport since suicide bombings on March 22 blew up its departures terminal.

Arnaud Feist, the CEO of Brussels Airport Co., says the three flights leaving Sunday are “a sign of hope” that even partial passenger service could resume so soon following “the darkest days in the history of aviation in Belgium.”

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The airport has been closed since suicide bombings at the airport and in the Brussels subway killed 32 victims and wounded 270. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group.

Security at the airport was tight Sunday with completely new check-in procedures for passengers.

Other planes scheduled to leave included Brussels Airlines flights to Athens and Turin, Italy.