Three-Day National Strike to Severely Reduce De Lijn Bus & Tram Services Later This Month
Customs ‘Punctuality’ Strike to Hit Liège Airport Cargo Flows from 17 November
Brussels Airport Reports 6 % Passenger Growth and 25 % Cargo Jump in October Despite Strike Turbulence
Latest News
Belgium to Rebalance its Global Diplomatic Footprint; Five New Missions Planned, Eight to Close
Belgium will close eight embassies and open five new ones under a strategic redeployment announced by Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot. The move will shift visa-processing workloads and could alter lead-times for Belgian companies moving staff to or from affected countries.
Belgium Leads Mid-November Strike Wave Set to Disrupt European Travel
Belgium’s unions will stage a three-day national strike from 24–26 November, closing large parts of the country’s rail network and severely reducing operations at Brussels and Charleroi airports. The stoppage, protesting austerity measures in the 2026 budget, is expected to cost hundreds of millions of euros and disrupt passenger and cargo movements across Europe. Airlines—including Air Canada—have begun offering free rebooking windows, and corporate travel managers are urging staff to reroute or postpone trips.
Brussels Airport Reports 6 % Passenger Growth in October Despite Strike Disruptions
October traffic at Brussels Airport rose 6 % year-on-year to 2.23 million passengers, even though a nationwide strike shut the hub for a full day. Cargo volumes jumped 25 %, driven by belly-hold growth on long-haul routes. The figures highlight the airport’s resilience but also quantify the economic cost of repeated industrial action.