Brussels Airport has confirmed the cancellation of 100 flights for Friday, 9 October, as ground handler staff join a nationwide strike in Belgium. Part of the staff from ground handler Alyzia are expected to take part in the industrial action, with the airport anticipating only half of the flights handled by Alyzia to operate as planned.
Airlines that could be affected by the strike include Brussels Airlines, Emirates, and United Airlines, as they use Alyzia’s services. Flights handled by Aviapartner, which include major airlines serving UK destinations such as British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Tui, and Wizz Air, will not be affected. Approximately 400 flights are still expected to operate on Friday.
Brussels Airport has released a list of airlines operating at its base, along with their handler and contact details, for passengers to check potential flight impacts. The airport has stated that its flight overview will only show cancellations once airlines register them.
Further trade union action is scheduled for Monday, 12 October, but the airport does not expect this to impact flights. However, public transport disruptions are anticipated on this date. The UK’s Foreign Office has warned that the strike will affect public transport and other public services in Brussels, and advises monitoring local news and checking with providers for potential delays and closures.