Ostend-Bruges International Airport woke to the rumble of some 60 tractors on Monday, 12 January 2026, as Flemish and Walloon farmers broadened their rolling campaign against the EU–Mercosur free-trade deal. The convoy encircled the freight zone shortly after 06:30, parking across the cargo access lanes and reducing traffic to a single alternating lane. Passenger cars could still reach the terminal, but airport officials warned of 20- to 40-minute delays and urged travellers to leave “at least an extra hour” for check-in procedures. ([brusselstimes.com](https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1914411/ostend-airport-targeted-by-farmer-protest-against-mercosur-deal/))
While previous actions concentrated on motorway junctions and distribution centres, Monday’s choice of an airport is symbolic. Farmer unions accuse meat importers of using “fly-in” logistics to bypass port inspections before repackaging South-American beef as EU produce. “The skies have become another back door for unfair competition,” said Mark Wulfrancke of ABS, one of Belgium’s largest syndicates. ([brusselstimes.com](https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1914411/ostend-airport-targeted-by-farmer-protest-against-mercosur-deal/))
For global-mobility managers the immediate concern is workforce and cargo flows. Ostend handles 15 percent of Belgium’s perishables and a growing share of e-commerce freight. Multinationals shipping time-critical spares or pharma samples through the airport should prepare contingency routings via Liège or Maastricht, or shift to road until the protest lifts. Employers with assignees flying in are advised to re-book onto Brussels or Amsterdam services or arrange private transfers bypassing the N33 bottleneck.
![Farmers’ Tractors Snarl Access Roads as Ostend Airport Becomes Latest Target in Anti-Mercosur Protests]()
If rerouting forces travelers or employees to pass through new transit points with different entry rules, VisaHQ can cut through the red tape. Their Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets mobility teams and individual passengers check visa requirements in minutes, secure electronic authorizations, or arrange courier pick-ups for urgent passport stamping—helping keep itineraries on track despite the protest-driven detours.
The demonstration is slated to continue “for as long as it takes,” organisers warned, and may spread to Charleroi Airport later this week. HR teams should activate travel-alert procedures and factor in increased taxi costs for last-mile transport. On the positive side, passenger screening and immigration counters inside the terminal remain fully staffed, limiting disruption once travellers clear the forecourt.
Longer-term, the airport protest underscores rising social-risk exposure in Belgium’s transport corridors. Companies relocating staff this quarter should incorporate flex clauses in lease and assignment contracts, allowing for remote onboarding or delayed start-dates if mobility bottlenecks persist.
While previous actions concentrated on motorway junctions and distribution centres, Monday’s choice of an airport is symbolic. Farmer unions accuse meat importers of using “fly-in” logistics to bypass port inspections before repackaging South-American beef as EU produce. “The skies have become another back door for unfair competition,” said Mark Wulfrancke of ABS, one of Belgium’s largest syndicates. ([brusselstimes.com](https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1914411/ostend-airport-targeted-by-farmer-protest-against-mercosur-deal/))
For global-mobility managers the immediate concern is workforce and cargo flows. Ostend handles 15 percent of Belgium’s perishables and a growing share of e-commerce freight. Multinationals shipping time-critical spares or pharma samples through the airport should prepare contingency routings via Liège or Maastricht, or shift to road until the protest lifts. Employers with assignees flying in are advised to re-book onto Brussels or Amsterdam services or arrange private transfers bypassing the N33 bottleneck.
If rerouting forces travelers or employees to pass through new transit points with different entry rules, VisaHQ can cut through the red tape. Their Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets mobility teams and individual passengers check visa requirements in minutes, secure electronic authorizations, or arrange courier pick-ups for urgent passport stamping—helping keep itineraries on track despite the protest-driven detours.
The demonstration is slated to continue “for as long as it takes,” organisers warned, and may spread to Charleroi Airport later this week. HR teams should activate travel-alert procedures and factor in increased taxi costs for last-mile transport. On the positive side, passenger screening and immigration counters inside the terminal remain fully staffed, limiting disruption once travellers clear the forecourt.
Longer-term, the airport protest underscores rising social-risk exposure in Belgium’s transport corridors. Companies relocating staff this quarter should incorporate flex clauses in lease and assignment contracts, allowing for remote onboarding or delayed start-dates if mobility bottlenecks persist.
