The romance and reality of air travel is coming soon to screens in the Belgian region of Flanders thanks to a new collaboration between Brussels Airlines and Flemish TV company VTM.
From 9 February 2025 and airing every Sunday evening on VTM (as well as on VTMGO), the new reality TV show Welkom Aan Boord (Welcome on Board) will reveal an “exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations of Brussels Airlines”, press materials say. It’s the result of a months-long filming project during which production company Geronimo Entertainment followed the day-to-day working lives of Brussels Airlines employees.
Beyond the concourse and into the skies
Other TV shows about airline workers have already provided hours of insight and entertainment for viewers, notably Airline UK, a British LWT production that followed budget airlines Britannia and EasyJet at various UK airports. It was so popular it ran for 11 seasons and nearly a decade from 1998 to 2007. Airline USA followed the same format, focusing on customer service staff efforts to assist passengers in crisis.
But unlike those productions, an unusual aspect of VTM’s approach is the way it will follow Brussels Airline staff beyond the airport concourse, to take viewers airside and into the skies.
“There have been programs about airports in the past, but they usually stop at the airplane door,” Emanuel Vanderjeugd, CEO of Geronimo Entertainment explains. “ What we wanted to know is: what happens next? What’s it like to lead a long-haul flight or prepare meals for hundreds of passengers at cruising altitude? That journey of discovery was often incredibly fascinating.”
“A world that truly captures the imagination”
Potential viewers may wonder what’s in it for an airline when it comes to the added security and hassle of taking care of a film crew on board, but a Brussels Airlines press release provides the answer: the carrier “hopes the series will inspire more people to pursue a career in aviation. Those interested can visit the Brussels Airlines job site for opportunities,” it said.
Expressing gratitude for how open and willing the staff were, Davy Parmentier, Channel Director, VTM, said in a statement: “A lot of people travel by plane. But the cockpit remains strictly off-limits to passengers at all times. It is there that crucial decisions are made—the beating heart of the aircraft, so to speak. We are delighted that, together with VTM, we can open that door for the first time and give viewers an exclusive look into a world that truly captures the imagination.”
For the moment, the programme will only be available in its Dutch language version but that could change in the future. Brussels Airlines spokesperson Nico Cardone told Travel Tomorrow that Lufthansa Group have expressed a keen interest in English and other language versions being made available.
