Brussels Airlines pilots and cabin crew members auction a look behind the scene for charity.

In the context of Brussels Airlines’ b.foundation for Africa, Brussels Airlines employees launch an online auction to raise funds for humanitarian projects. In that auction, they give away several unique experiences that offer a glimpse behind the secene at the airline, including a flight in the cockpit, a day in the life of a cabin crew member and an intimate piano concert by Ozark Henry beneath the wings of an Airbus A330.

Brussels Airlines has a strong connection to Africa. Next to its more than 60 flights per week to the African continent, Africa is also very close to the heart of its employees. Many of them organize and support humanitarian initiatives to help several African countries Brussels Airlines flies to. In order to bundle these initiatives, the airline founded b.foundation for Africa some years ago.

The biggest initiative of the foundation is Bike for Africa: every two years 70 employees and friends of Brussels Airlines travel to a different African country for a mountain bike tour to raise funds for a humanitarian organization. This experience gives them the opportunity to really connect to the country and its population in a way that is not possible otherwise. What’s more is they raise €200,000, which this year will go to Mercy Ships, a hospital ship that provides locals with medical care along the African West Coast.

This year, some of the mountain bikers came with the idea to auction a day in their professional lives at Brussels Airlines to raise funds for Bike for Africa. Captain and Flight Instructor Niki V. offers a 2-hour session in the flight simulator at CAE Academy, his wife and also captain Kirsten P. takes the highest bidder on the jumpseat in her cockpit. Flight attendants Uli V. and Steven F. take someone on one of their flights where they get to experience the work and life of a cabin crew member first hand. First Officer Hilde G. takes an auction winner on the tarmac at Brussels Airport for a visit to his or her favorite Belgian Icon, while engineer Walter takes the highest bidder for a tour through Brussels Airlines’ maintenance hangar. Last but not least, Ozark Henry, a Bike for Africa participant himself, gives away an intimate piano concert under the wings of an Airbus A330 in the Brussels Airlines hangar.

Bike for Africa takes place between 28 February and 7 March. In addition to the colleagues of Brussels Airlines, several managers of Belgian companies take part, including Geert Noels, Tom Vande Cruys, Bob Verbeeck, Jacques Vandermeiren, Bernard Marchand, Jean-Paul Philippot and the CEO of Brussels Airlines Bernard Gustin.

Bids for the Bike for Africa auction can be placed until 12 December at midnight on bfoundationforafrica.com/support.

 

More information about Bike for Africa 2018

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About Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines is the home carrier of Belgium and one of the four network airlines of the Lufthansa Group. It connects the European capital from Brussels Airport with over 90 destinations, 18 of which are in Sub Saharan Africa. The company employs more than 3,500 people and operates 44 aircraft.

Brussels Airlines aims to emit 50% less CO2 by 2030 compared to 2019 and plans to be carbon neutral by 2050. The airline is participating in the Stargate Project led by Brussels Airport and is therefore part of the testing ground for sustainable aviation at its home base. In addition, the airline signed the Circular Economy agreement of the Antwerp Management School in 2021. The airline was the first to transport Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) through the CEPS-pipeline connecting Brussels Airport early 2023. By end 2024, Brussels Airlines will have welcomed five state-of-the-art Airbus A320neo allowing the airline to significantly lower its CO2- and noise-emissions on its medium-haul network.

As an ambassador of its country, Brussels Airlines brings the world to Belgium and the best of Belgium to the world, among others through collaborations with Belgian Star Chefs, Belgian culinary products and the Belgian Icons, specially painted aircraft that honour a Belgian iconic person, team or event to promote Belgian culture worldwide.

More information on brusselsairlines.com 


About Star Alliance

Established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, the Star Alliance network was founded on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service. Since its inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a strong emphasis on enhancing the customer experience throughout the entire Alliance journey.

Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 17,500 daily flights to over 1,150 airports in almost 190 countries.

Star Alliance Press Office: +65 8729 6691; mediarelations@staralliance.com
More information on staralliance.com

Contact

b.house Zone General Aviation - Airport Building 26 1831 Diegem

+32 2 723 89 90

press@brusselsairlines.com

www.brusselsairlines.com