Belgium's largest airports are expecting major disruption as a result of the national demonstration taking place on Tuesday 1 October. Both Brussels and Charleroi Airport have cancelled most departing flights.
Some 1,000 essential workers – cleaners, security guards and hospitality workers – from across Europe will gather at noon on Tuesday in the European Quarter to denounce their working conditions. A large number of employees of the external security service provider at Belgium's largest airports are taking part, which will have a major impact on passenger flights.
Brussels Airport at the end of last week confirmed the impact on its services, stating all departing flights will be cancelled "to ensure the safety of passengers and staff". Passengers who were expected to fly on Tuesday are being contacted by the airline operating the affected flights. The airport's website states a handful of flights will still go ahead as planned.
Initially, it had said arriving passenger flights will continue, albeit with some cancellations. Its website on Monday afternoon pointed to around one in three arriving flights being cancelled. All passengers normally landing at Brussels Airport on Tuesday are advised to check the latest information about their flight with their airline.
The tens of thousands of people affected by the strike's impact have been asked not to come to the airport on Tuesday.
Impact on Charleroi Airport
Belgium's second-largest airport in Charleroi will also be affected by the strike. At first, it said flight capacity will be reduced by up to 30%, but by Monday afternoon it said all departing flights would be annulled as there will not be enough security staff present after all.
"Passengers affected by these cancellations will be contacted by their airline," a notice on its website read. Charleroi Airport's departure page itself has not yet included information about what flights are being cancelled.
"If you had a flight scheduled for this Tuesday and it has been cancelled, do not go to the airport and contact your airline for a new reservation or refund." Arriving flights may, however, still land at Charleroi.
Due to the fact that the flights are being cancelled due to a strike by third parties (meaning the airlines themselves are not causing the cancellation), the situation is classified as an "extraordinary circumstance". This means affected passengers are not entitled to financial compensation, but the airline does have to provide them with a replacement flight or a refund of the money for their ticket.
