Belgium’s three largest trade-union confederations—ABVV/FGTB, ACV/CSC and ACLVB/CGSLB—confirmed on 14 November that they will stage coordinated national strike action from 24 to 26 November. The walk-outs will hit rail engineers, airport security staff, public-sector workers and the Brussels urban transport operator STIB-MIVB. At Brussels Airport, ground-handling companies have told airlines to expect minimum-service staffing levels, triggering pre-emptive capacity cuts similar to the 14 October stoppage that cancelled every departing flight and half of all arrivals. Charleroi Airport and the national rail operator SNCB also face 72-hour shutdowns beginning at 22:00 on 23 November.
The industrial action is a direct response to Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s draft 2026 budget, which freezes wage-indexation and raises the statutory retirement age. Unions are demanding that the government abandon what they call an “austerity budget” and negotiate pension and welfare reforms instead of imposing them. Employers’ federations warn the strike could cost the Walloon economy €100 million a day and disrupt critical supply chains that rely on Brussels Airport’s cargo hub, which handled more than 80,000 tonnes of freight in October.
![Belgium Leads Mid-November Strike Wave Set to Disrupt European Travel]()
Airlines, travel-management companies and multinationals with Belgian operations are already adjusting their contingency plans. Air Canada became the first foreign carrier to publish a formal goodwill policy, allowing passengers booked for 25–26 November to rebook once free of charge until 3 December. Several European carriers are expected to follow suit, while logistics firms are diverting high-value consignments to Amsterdam, Paris-CDG and Frankfurt. Corporate travel managers have begun issuing internal advisories recommending that assignees either advance their travel or postpone non-essential trips.
For global mobility teams, the strike wave will add complexity during the busy pre-Christmas period. Short-notice flight cancellations risk breaching posted-worker notification deadlines and disrupting time-sensitive visa appointments. Employers with posted staff should build extra buffer time into travel schedules, confirm alternative rail and road options, and remind employees that public-transport services in Brussels will operate at sharply reduced frequencies. Companies that rely on “day-trip” Schengen itineraries may see productivity hit if staff must overnight abroad or reroute via secondary hubs.
While Belgium is the epicentre, the late-November actions form part of a wider European strike calendar. Italy has a national stoppage planned for 28 November, French rail unions have tabled rolling walk-outs from 14 November and German airport unions continue to threaten warning strikes. The synchronised unrest means that travellers re-routing to neighbouring countries may face similar disruption, underscoring the need for real-time monitoring tools and flexible travel policies.
The industrial action is a direct response to Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s draft 2026 budget, which freezes wage-indexation and raises the statutory retirement age. Unions are demanding that the government abandon what they call an “austerity budget” and negotiate pension and welfare reforms instead of imposing them. Employers’ federations warn the strike could cost the Walloon economy €100 million a day and disrupt critical supply chains that rely on Brussels Airport’s cargo hub, which handled more than 80,000 tonnes of freight in October.
Airlines, travel-management companies and multinationals with Belgian operations are already adjusting their contingency plans. Air Canada became the first foreign carrier to publish a formal goodwill policy, allowing passengers booked for 25–26 November to rebook once free of charge until 3 December. Several European carriers are expected to follow suit, while logistics firms are diverting high-value consignments to Amsterdam, Paris-CDG and Frankfurt. Corporate travel managers have begun issuing internal advisories recommending that assignees either advance their travel or postpone non-essential trips.
For global mobility teams, the strike wave will add complexity during the busy pre-Christmas period. Short-notice flight cancellations risk breaching posted-worker notification deadlines and disrupting time-sensitive visa appointments. Employers with posted staff should build extra buffer time into travel schedules, confirm alternative rail and road options, and remind employees that public-transport services in Brussels will operate at sharply reduced frequencies. Companies that rely on “day-trip” Schengen itineraries may see productivity hit if staff must overnight abroad or reroute via secondary hubs.
While Belgium is the epicentre, the late-November actions form part of a wider European strike calendar. Italy has a national stoppage planned for 28 November, French rail unions have tabled rolling walk-outs from 14 November and German airport unions continue to threaten warning strikes. The synchronised unrest means that travellers re-routing to neighbouring countries may face similar disruption, underscoring the need for real-time monitoring tools and flexible travel policies.
