The U.S. State Department has issued a fresh worldwide travel alert that singles out Belgium as one of several destinations where visitors may encounter significant transport disruptions and heightened security risks. The advisory—published late on 30 November—cites a wave of labour strikes that have rolled through Brussels Airport, Charleroi Airport and the national rail network during the last week of November, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations, reduced train frequencies and large-scale street demonstrations.
Although the three-day general strike formally ended on 26 November, union leaders have warned that further “rolling actions” could continue into December if the De Wever government presses ahead with pension and labour-market reforms. Airport ground-handling staff and security screeners remain locked in pay negotiations, prompting Brussels Airport Company to ask airlines to file conservative flight programmes through mid-December. Hoteliers report occupancy dips of up to 12 % as business travellers postpone trips until the situation stabilises.
![U.S. travel alert flags strike-related disruptions in Belgium ahead of holiday rush]()
For Belgian-based multinationals the alert carries practical implications. U.S. nationals posted to EU headquarters in Brussels must now build extra buffer time into itineraries, carry proof of residence when transiting strike picket lines, and monitor both the embassy’s STEP messages and Brussels Airport’s live feed for last-minute gate changes. Global mobility managers are being advised to update duty-of-care protocols, verify emergency contact lists and remind employees that local police can ask for identification at any time when protests flare.
Travel-risk consultants say the advisory underscores a broader trend: political and labour unrest is now being factored into corporate ‘go/no-go’ decisions alongside traditional security metrics. With the Christmas market season underway—and tourist footfall in central Brussels expected to top three million visitors—companies should prepare for crowd-control measures around popular venues such as Grand-Place and the Winter Wonders fair.
Bottom line: while Belgium remains a Level-2 (“exercise increased caution”) destination for U.S. citizens, global mobility teams should anticipate sporadic strike action, keep travellers away from protest flashpoints, and ensure that expatriates’ Belgian ID cards or Annex 15 certificates are valid and on hand.
Although the three-day general strike formally ended on 26 November, union leaders have warned that further “rolling actions” could continue into December if the De Wever government presses ahead with pension and labour-market reforms. Airport ground-handling staff and security screeners remain locked in pay negotiations, prompting Brussels Airport Company to ask airlines to file conservative flight programmes through mid-December. Hoteliers report occupancy dips of up to 12 % as business travellers postpone trips until the situation stabilises.
For Belgian-based multinationals the alert carries practical implications. U.S. nationals posted to EU headquarters in Brussels must now build extra buffer time into itineraries, carry proof of residence when transiting strike picket lines, and monitor both the embassy’s STEP messages and Brussels Airport’s live feed for last-minute gate changes. Global mobility managers are being advised to update duty-of-care protocols, verify emergency contact lists and remind employees that local police can ask for identification at any time when protests flare.
Travel-risk consultants say the advisory underscores a broader trend: political and labour unrest is now being factored into corporate ‘go/no-go’ decisions alongside traditional security metrics. With the Christmas market season underway—and tourist footfall in central Brussels expected to top three million visitors—companies should prepare for crowd-control measures around popular venues such as Grand-Place and the Winter Wonders fair.
Bottom line: while Belgium remains a Level-2 (“exercise increased caution”) destination for U.S. citizens, global mobility teams should anticipate sporadic strike action, keep travellers away from protest flashpoints, and ensure that expatriates’ Belgian ID cards or Annex 15 certificates are valid and on hand.
