Air-passenger-rights specialist AirHelp reports that 3 November saw 957 delays and 21 outright cancellations across major European hubs, with Brussels Airlines figuring prominently alongside HOP!, CityJet and SAS. Although Paris, Rome and Athens logged the worst disruption totals, dozens of departures to and from Brussels Airport and Charleroi were affected, rippling through corporate travel itineraries at the start of the working week.
AirHelp’s data show that 978 flights were disrupted overall, many by crew-roster imbalances and lingering ATC capacity constraints after October’s pan-European strike actions. In Belgium the knock-on effect was felt on core business routes to Frankfurt, London and Milan, where morning rotations left late or were rescheduled. Travellers heading to New York on SN501 departed 32 minutes behind schedule, illustrating the long-haul impact.
![950 flight delays hit Europe; Brussels Airlines among hardest-struck on 3 November]()
Under EU261 rules passengers delayed more than three hours may claim up to €600, yet many corporate travellers remain unaware of entitlements. TMCs are advising clients to log delay certificates and consider automatic-claim services to recoup costs. Airlines face mounting compensation liabilities at a time of tight margins and high fuel prices; Brussels Airlines already paid €11 million in claims in the first half of 2025, according to company figures.
Experts say that prolonged staffing shortages at Eurocontrol and continued drone-sighting shutdowns (most recently on 4 November) mean schedule instability will persist through the winter timetable. Mobility managers are urged to build slack into meeting schedules, favour early-morning departures where re-routing options exist, and update travel-risk assessments accordingly.
AirHelp’s data show that 978 flights were disrupted overall, many by crew-roster imbalances and lingering ATC capacity constraints after October’s pan-European strike actions. In Belgium the knock-on effect was felt on core business routes to Frankfurt, London and Milan, where morning rotations left late or were rescheduled. Travellers heading to New York on SN501 departed 32 minutes behind schedule, illustrating the long-haul impact.
Under EU261 rules passengers delayed more than three hours may claim up to €600, yet many corporate travellers remain unaware of entitlements. TMCs are advising clients to log delay certificates and consider automatic-claim services to recoup costs. Airlines face mounting compensation liabilities at a time of tight margins and high fuel prices; Brussels Airlines already paid €11 million in claims in the first half of 2025, according to company figures.
Experts say that prolonged staffing shortages at Eurocontrol and continued drone-sighting shutdowns (most recently on 4 November) mean schedule instability will persist through the winter timetable. Mobility managers are urged to build slack into meeting schedules, favour early-morning departures where re-routing options exist, and update travel-risk assessments accordingly.
