Brussels airport says no flights until at least late Thursday

[BRUSSELS] Brussels airport said it will remain closed to passenger flights until at least late Thursday afternoon following last week's attacks, as the operator carries out further tests for a partial restart.

"The evaluation of the trial is still ongoing and will take at least till tomorrow afternoon. No flights till then," the airport operator said Wednesday on Twitter.

The airport began testing temporary check-in facilities and new security measures on Tuesday, using hundreds of airport staff as stand-ins for passengers.

The airport has been shut since suicide bombers Najim Laachraoui and Ibrahim El Bakraoui blew themselves up in the departure hall on 22 March.

Police are still hunting a third unidentified attacker whose bomb failed to go off.

Coordinated attacks claimed by the Islamic State group at the airport and a Brussels metro station killed 32 people.

Brussels airport chief executive Arnaud Feist warned on Tuesday that a full return to normal could take months.

AFP