Twenty-four hours after Belgium’s three-day general strike ended, fresh FlightAware data paint a sobering picture of the knock-on effect on Brussels Airport. On 28 November, 60 services were cancelled outright while another 174 departed or arrived late – some by more than four hours – as ground-handling crews, security agents and air-traffic controllers worked through backlogs caused by the walk-outs over pension and wage reforms.
The disruption hit both short-haul and long-haul operations. Iberia, Brussels Airlines and Ryanair axed multiple departures to Madrid, Geneva and Stockholm, while Air Canada’s Montréal service left three hours behind schedule. Ramp shortages meant arriving aircraft waited for parking stands, pushing crew-duty limits and cascading delays across the late-evening wave. Zaventem-area hotels reported 98 % occupancy as stranded passengers scrambled for rooms.
![Strike Fallout: 60 Flights Cancelled and 174 Delayed at Brussels Airport]()
Beyond the terminal, the impact was felt in boardrooms. Multinationals such as Solvay and Deloitte activated emergency remote-work protocols for visiting staff and urged travellers to switch to rail where possible, while logistics firms diverted time-critical cargo to Liège and Maastricht – absorbing extra trucking costs and customs formalities.
Airport management says operations are now “stable” but warns that baggage backlogs could persist through the weekend. Unions have hinted at further action in January if talks on pension age and index-linked wage rises stall, prompting mobility managers to build extra buffer days into early-2026 travel itineraries.
Practical tips for employers: keep digital copies of employee residence cards in case staff must be rerouted via neighbouring countries, brief travellers on EU 261 compensation rights, and monitor municipal strike calendars because city-hall closures can delay the biometrics needed for permit renewals.
The disruption hit both short-haul and long-haul operations. Iberia, Brussels Airlines and Ryanair axed multiple departures to Madrid, Geneva and Stockholm, while Air Canada’s Montréal service left three hours behind schedule. Ramp shortages meant arriving aircraft waited for parking stands, pushing crew-duty limits and cascading delays across the late-evening wave. Zaventem-area hotels reported 98 % occupancy as stranded passengers scrambled for rooms.
Beyond the terminal, the impact was felt in boardrooms. Multinationals such as Solvay and Deloitte activated emergency remote-work protocols for visiting staff and urged travellers to switch to rail where possible, while logistics firms diverted time-critical cargo to Liège and Maastricht – absorbing extra trucking costs and customs formalities.
Airport management says operations are now “stable” but warns that baggage backlogs could persist through the weekend. Unions have hinted at further action in January if talks on pension age and index-linked wage rises stall, prompting mobility managers to build extra buffer days into early-2026 travel itineraries.
Practical tips for employers: keep digital copies of employee residence cards in case staff must be rerouted via neighbouring countries, brief travellers on EU 261 compensation rights, and monitor municipal strike calendars because city-hall closures can delay the biometrics needed for permit renewals.
