Brussels Airport Faces 24-Hour Departure Freeze Due to National Strike
Brussels Airport is set to implement a 24-hour departure freeze next week due to a national strike, with a significant number of airport security and other staff members expected to participate. This disruption will lead to the cancellation of hundreds of flights that were scheduled to return to Brussels, primarily affecting the outbound leg of these journeys.
The impact on the nation’s carrier, Brussels Airlines, is anticipated to be severe, as hundreds of flights are canceled. This is not the first time Brussels Airport has faced strikes over the past 12 months, which have continued to create challenges for the airport’s home carrier.
Thursday – No Flights Out of Brussels
A national strike scheduled for Thursday, March 12, will involve a considerable number of Brussels Airport (BRU) security and handling staff. According to Reuters, this has resulted in all flights out of the airport being canceled on that day, causing significant disruption to the airport’s home carrier, Brussels Airlines.
Given that Brussels Airlines accounts for nearly half the airport’s traffic, as per figures published by VisaHQ, it is expected to cancel the majority of its schedule on that day, including over 200 operations. Furthermore, it is forecasted that the single-day disruption could cost the carrier millions in lost revenue and any potential passenger compensation.
The airport has urged all passengers expecting to travel to and from the airport to stay informed about airline communications regarding their flight status and alternative travel arrangements. Simple Flying has reached out to Brussels Airlines to learn more about how the airline is preparing for such an event. The confirmation of the upcoming disruption on the airport’s website states, “To ensure the safety of passengers and staff, we have decided, in consultation with the airlines, not to operate any departing flights on 12 March.”
Strike Number Eight, Since 2025
According to Belga News Agency, this is the eighth time since 2025 that such a strike has impacted the nation’s aviation sector, with seven strikes recorded last year. The upcoming strike on Thursday is expected to be the first of this year. Published data shows that last year, around 2,400 flights were canceled at Brussels Airport, amounting to around 275,000 fewer passengers handled. This accounts for a considerable loss in revenue in terms of aircraft handling, parking charges, and passenger charges.
The nation’s carrier, Brussels Airlines, accounted for around 100,000 of the 275,000 impacted passengers, reportedly losing over $17.4 million (€15 million) in revenue across those days.
Because of the interconnected nature of the aviation industry, such disruptions rarely tend to be localized. Considering that BRU is the hub for Brussels Airlines, which is also a member of Star Alliance and Lufthansa Group, such disruption has the potential to impact passengers traveling on a connecting itinerary with different airlines.
Does EU-261 Come Into Play In This Scenario?
The short answer is no, as airlines are exempt under strike conditions. EU-261 is a regulation put in place by the European Commission for all flights departing or arriving at an EU member state, as well as flights operated to, from, or within a non-member state, but were booked via a European-registered carrier under a single itinerary.
It states that the airlines are exempt from offering compensation under extraordinary circumstances, including scenarios such as weather events, acts of terrorism, ATC delays, and workers going on strike, if they are unrelated to the airlines. Therefore, in this instance, considering it is the airport’s staff who are going on strike, this falls beyond the scope of the EU-261 regulation, as it is not the airlines’ fault.
However, most carriers tend to offer alternatives when possible, including the ability to change the itinerary free of charge or even free cancellations, as a show of good faith. Carriers are also obliged to offer duty of care when applicable, although the advanced warning of the strike means it doesn’t apply here.
