On Sunday 15th November 2009, Brussels Airlines will be carrying a very important passenger from Birmingham to Brussels - a World War II Enigma Machine.

Brussels Airlines has made special provisions to ensure the safe carriage of the machine, one of the less than 200 remaining in the world. Weighing just under the Brussels Airlines 'b.flex economy+' hand-baggage allowance of 12 kilos the machine will be secured safely in the passenger cabin on the short flight, under the watchful eye of its guardian, Dr Mark Baldwin MA Msc PhD. This portable encryption device was widely used by the Axis powers, whose ciphers they believed to be totally secure. Nevertheless, by mathematical analysis (and a certain amount of good luck), the Allies devised techniques for 'breaking' Enigma ciphers, and thus read several million German messages, providing a wealth of reliable Intelligence. Dr Mark Baldwin is one of Britain's most experienced speakers on the Enigma machine and the work of the WW2 Bletchley Park codebreakers. He will be addressing a conference in Brussels where the audience will be offered the chance to operate an original 4-rotor Enigma. 'Brussels Airlines is delighted that Dr Baldwin and an Enigma Machine will be travelling with us to Brussels. We carry many important passengers onboard our flights across the world - however seldom do we have a passenger who has quite literally changed the course of history!' commented Mark West, Brussels Airlines Country Manager UK.

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For further information please contact:

mark.west@brusselsairlines.com - Country Manager lynne.mcgrath@brusselsairlines.com - Press & Marketing UK stephanie.howel@brusselsairlines.com - Press & Marketing UK Geert.Sciot@brusselsairlines.com - VP External Communications