Brussels Airport terminal building. Anna EST / Shutterstock.comTravellers heading to or from Brussels on Friday, 9 October, face flight cancellations and wider transport disruption as a nationwide strike and large-scale demonstration take place across Belgium.
Around 140 flights arriving at or departing from Brussels Airport are expected to be cancelled, according to Belgian media reports, after staff at ground-handling company Alyzia join the industrial action. Brussels Airport has confirmed that a number of flights will be cancelled and said approximately half of the flights handled by Alyzia are expected to operate as planned.
Alyzia provides ground-handling services including baggage handling, ramp operations, de-icing, aircraft cleaning and cargo and mail transport. The company handles flights for several airlines operating from Brussels, including Brussels Airlines.
Brussels Airlines is expected to be particularly affected, with around 40% of its scheduled flights on Friday impacted. The airline expects to carry around 30,000 passengers that day and says affected passengers will be contacted with alternative travel options or the possibility of a refund. Passengers can also check their flight status through the airline's My Booking service.
Brussels Airport said passengers whose flights are affected will be contacted directly by their airline. It is also advising travellers to check whether their flight is handled by Alyzia. Flights handled by rival ground handler Aviapartner are currently not expected to be affected.
The disruption extends beyond the airport. A large-scale demonstration is planned in central Brussels on Friday, while public transport and other public services are expected to face disruption.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's travel advice for Belgium was updated on 7 October to warn travellers about the planned demonstration and strike action. It states that a large-scale demonstration will take place on Friday 9 October and confirms that flights have been cancelled at Brussels Airport. The UK government advises travellers to monitor local news and check with their travel operators for the latest information.
The UK travel advice also notes that a further strike is planned for Monday, 12 October. Brussels Airport currently says the action on Monday is not expected to affect air traffic, although public transport disruption is anticipated and passengers are advised to plan their journeys to and from the airport accordingly.
For travellers flying on Friday, Brussels Airport recommends checking flight status before travelling. The airport notes that cancellations will appear on its flight overview once they have been registered by the airline.
The latest disruption follows several instances of industrial action affecting aviation in Belgium this year, highlighting how ground-handling strikes can disrupt flights even when airlines themselves are not participating in the action.
