I (Bertaut) flew Brussels Airlines Business Class to Cameroon for my brother’s wedding. It was a solo trip since the kids would have missed too much school. I booked my flight using United MileagePlus miles as Brussels Airlines is a partner of United. Since Brussels Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, I had high expectations regarding the service and experience. I was not disappointed. Read my Airbus A330 Brussels Airlines Business Class review from Brussels to Yaoundé on SN371 for all the details on this 8h 30min flight with a stop in Douala.

Airbus A330 Brussels Airlines Business Class Review: BRU to NSI

**Our WTA score represents our own views based on our personal experience with the entity being reviewed.

Brussels Airlines A330 Business Class

Post from RICOH THETA. – Spherical Image – Business Class A330-200

Brussels Airlines A330-200 Business Class Cabin

How I made my Brussels Airlines booking in Business Class

The Brussels Airlines Business Class ticket from BRU to NSI was priced at $3,217.42 for the date of my travel. However, I booked my one-way flight using 80,000 United MileagePlus miles from Washington D.C. to Cameroon with a long layover in Brussels. I flew Lufthansa Business Class for the first flight, another partner of United. I paid less than $200 in taxes and fees to travel from the US to Africa for a ticket in peak holiday season.

There are several ways to obtain enough United miles for this flight, including opening the United MileagePlus Explorer Credit Card and the business version of the card. The bonus offer for the personal United card is 40,000 miles while the business card offers 50,000 miles (or more if you are a big spender).

Alternatively, Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to United at a 1:1 ratio, giving more options for earning the miles. Opening the Chase Ink Business Preferred card has a bonus offer of 80,000 Chase points. That’s enough to fly business class to Africa.

Brussels Airlines Check-in and Security at Brussels Airport

After a fun night checking out the sights in Brussels, I made my way to the airport for the 10:45AM flight to Cameroon. I didn’t need to check-in since I already received my boarding pass prior to my first flight from the U.S. My luggage would go to Cameroon so I didn’t need to deal with that. I did appreciate the generous baggage allowance had I decided to make some purchases in Brussels at the Christmas markets.

Brussels Airlines baggage allowance for international business class passengers is generous. Passengers can check 2 bags up to 32kg each and carry on 2 bags plus one personal item up to 16kg total. It was nice being allowed to bring extra carry-on luggage, since I picked up a large amount of Belgian chocolate during my layover. It is simply the best.

The security lanes and first immigration check were a breeze thanks to the Business Class Express Pass. Those traveling to Africa have to make their way through an additional passport check to leave the Schengen area. I noticed  several confused people who were wondering whether they needed to go through the additional control or not. A couple of people got to the counter before being told they needed to turn back to catch their flight after waiting at least 15 minutes. It’s best to check with agents so you don’t risk missing your flight over the confusion. After 20 minutes waiting I made my way through the second passport control to exit the Schengen area and headed for the Brussels Airlines Business Lounge.

Brussels Airlines Lounge at BRU

There are 3 Brussels Airlines Business Lounges at Brussels Airport- the Sunrise Lounge, The Loft, and The Suite. I visited the Sunrise Lounge, which is next to gate T74. Facilities at this lounge include a food buffet, snacks, internet access, work stations, fax, printer, desktop computers, magazines, showers, alcohol, and hot and cold drinks.

The Sunrise Lounge was fairly empty in the morning. There were ample seating areas including a quiet room with loungers. I had some time to kill so took a nap prior to grabbing breakfast.  My gate was only a few steps away, which gave me more time to relax.

Breakfast was being served and consisted of scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausage, cereals, and an assortment of breads and pastries.

A330 Brussels Airlines Business Class Cabin

After enjoying the lounge I made my way to the gate and boarded the plane. The Brussels Airlines A330-200 Business Class Cabin consists of 5 rows of 22 flatbed seats alternating between 1-2-1 and 2-1-2 configurations. The seats that are by themselves are referred to as “throne” seats because they have much more space on both sides.

The cabin felt open and spacious. Since I was flying over the holidays, festive Christmas wreaths hung at the front of the cabin. There was a selection of newspapers at the front by the bulkhead seats for passengers to pick up on their way to their seats.

Every seat in the 1-2-1 rows (1 and 3) has direct aisle access which is always a plus especially when traveling solo. There’s no need to debate between waking and straddling a sleeping stranger when trying to get to the bathroom. The cabin was fully occupied and lively thanks to being occupied mostly by fellow Cameroonians. We love to chat so it was an interesting flight full of lively conversations.

Brussels Airlines A330-200 Business Class Seats

I selected seat 3K, one of the 6 throne seats in the cabin, since I was flying alone. The throne seats offer more space and privacy. The other throne seats are 1A, 1K, 2E, 3A, 4E, 5A and 5K. If you’re tall like me,  the A330-200 best seats in terms of legroom are seats 1A and 1K which are bulkhead seats. These are the best seats in cabin because they are both bulkhead, offering more legroom, and throne, offering more space on either side. Unfortunately they were already taken, but I was happy to have a throne seat.

The throne seat had additional counter space.  However, the business class seats leave room for improvement on width, pitch and length. They are not designed for tall people. At 20.5″ width, people with broad shoulders will find it difficult to be comfortable or may have to sit at an angle. Since I’m 6’6”, I found the seats too small whether sitting upright or lying down.

I also found the footrest area to be on the small side. With the seat fully flat I simply had no room to stretch my legs without getting stuck in every position I tried. Even when sitting, my knees were on the IFE display. Oh the pitfalls of being a giant. An average size or small person should be fine, but anyone who is tall will be more comfortable in a bulkhead seat with more legroom. Though things got a little awkward when laying the seat flat, I still managed to enjoy the movies and even sleep during the flight to Cameroon.

The Business Class seats are equipped with a power station and USB charging ports. The chairs have a massage function and a 4 way lumbar support. You can adjust the firmness of the cushion, which is a nice touch. There’s a mood light button as well which illuminates a blue-toned light. The seat has a remote control for the entertainment system. A dining tray extends out from the seat.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Family Luxury Travel Hackers (@worldtraveladventurers) on Jan 7, 2019 at 12:38pm PST

Inflight Entertainment System

The business class seats on the A330-200 come with a large entertainment display. Brussels Airlines inflight entertainment system includes a decent selection of movies including documentaries, foreign movies, newly released Hollywood movies, and children’s movies. Inflight entertainment also includes a selection of music, TV shows, games, and flight maps.

Unfortunately Brussels Airlines does not provide Wifi. This is a major drawback for me since I like to stay connected to get work done and stay in touch with people at home while flying. If you get tired of movies, you can download free e-newspapers, read their inflight magazine, or do some duty-free shopping.

Since I was traveling during the day, I could take a break from staring at the screen for a while by looking out the windows. I  enjoyed the views from up above the clouds as we made our way to Africa.

Brussels Airlines Menu

One area where Brussels Airlines really shines is with the delicious food and drinks it serves onboard. It’s not surprising considering Belgium is famous for its food, beer, and chocolate. Brussels airlines is generous with all three and prides itself on offering Belgium’s internationally acclaimed cuisine. As soon as I sat down, a flight attendant offered champagne, wine, and Belgian chocolate. Now that’s the right way to start an intercontinental flight.

Shortly after the cabin closed, we were informed by the captain that there was a union protest set to end within an hour. Once that ended we would be on our way to our final destination. During the delay, the crew kept offering wine, drinks and tasty Belgian chocolate. I didn’t mind one bit the slight delay out of Brussels.

While waiting for the end of the protest from the Baggage Loading crew, I made my way to the cockpit to meet the friendly pilot and co-pilot. They kindly showed me some of the controls and explained their purpose, although most of it went right over my head. I decided to head back to my seat for more wine and chocolate.

For our flight, we were served lunch, a mid-flight treat, and since our flight was more than 7 hours we were given additional refreshments and snacks. Lunch included shredded snow crab with wasabi mayonnaise for the first course. The options for starter included smoked beef and foie gras or lobster, curry mayonnaise, and green apple salad. The main course had 3 options. The first option was pheasant supreme with celery risotto and mini chicory in a fine champagne sauce. The second option was sea bream fillet, quinoa with seaweed, spiced carrots, and Ras El Hanout sauce. The last option was zucchini and eggplant lasagna with a tomato cream sauce.

Lunch included a selection of cheese served with warm bread and dessert. Dessert on my flight was coconut pannacotta, exotic fruits and caramelized nuts with the chef’s recommendation to add dark rum.

Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Champagne was served in addition to wine and beer. There is an extensive collection of beverages including several Belgian beers.

The menu on the flight was prepared by Belgian Michelin Star Chef Stephanie Thunus. Brussels Airlines features different Belgian Star Chefs each year to offer delicious Belgian cuisine. I thought the food was delicious.

The flight attendants prepared my table with a table cloth before my meal. The first course of snow crab salad was served with my aperitif. I opted to take a break from wine and champagne and ordered some Baileys Irish cream. I selected the lobster starter and the pheasant main course. Each course was delicious, which is not surprising given that a Michelin Star chef prepared the menu.

Business Class Bathroom

There is a single bathroom for the Business Class passengers at the front of the cabin. There is also a shared bathroom with Premium Economy passengers at the back of the Business Class cabin. The bathroom was kept clean by the crew and smelled fresh. The bathroom was large enough for me to fit comfortably although it was nowhere near the Shower SPA of the Emirates First Class Cabin.

Inflight Amenities

The Brussels Airlines amenity kits were basic but included inflight essentials. My kit had a toothbrush, toothpaste, eyemask, socks, hand lotion, and pen. Pillows, light blankets, and noise-isolating headphones are also provided to use during the flight.

Brussels Airlines Service

The crew provided excellent service from start to finish. The flight attendants were friendly and professional. They were very responsive and quick to refill drinks and address any questions or concerns. I especially liked how they handed out Belgian chocolate throughout the flight, and even gave us a box to take home as a parting gift.

Last Words on Brussels Airlines A330 from Brussels to Yaounde

Brussels Airlines does a fantastic job with its flight from Brussels to Yaounde regarding service and meals. The crew is friendly, engaging and professional. The food was delicious and drinks were flowing freely. The business class cabin is open and inviting, although the seats were not spacious enough for me at 6’6. Tall people should try to reserve Seats 1A or 1K to ensure they are comfortable when laying the seats flat. On the return flight to Brussels, I made sure to select it and it made quite the difference especially for the redeye flight.

Post from RICOH THETA. – Spherical Image – Brussels Airlines A330-200 Business Class Cabin

If you liked our A330-200 Brussels Airlines Business Class Review, please share it and pin for later.