Road access to Brucargo – the freight backbone of Brussels Airport – returned to normal on 18 January after Flemish farmers dismantled filter blockades that had throttled truck traffic since Thursday night. The protest, organised by the General Farmers Syndicate, sought to derail the EU–Mercosur trade pact, which farmers fear will flood the Belgian market with lower-standard South-American meat.(visahq.com)
Demonstrators allowed lorries through only twice an hour, creating kilometre-long queues and forcing forwarders to divert shipments to Liège, Schiphol and Frankfurt. Brussels Airport Company estimates that every 12 hours of disruption cost about €2 million, delaying pharmaceuticals, e-commerce parcels and automotive parts.
Although passenger flights operated largely as scheduled, some aircrews and relocating employees missed connections when staff buses were caught in tailbacks. Companies had to re-book tickets or arrange overnight accommodation at short notice, showing how industrial action on the cargo side can ripple into people-movement programmes.
![Farmers lift three-day blockade at Brussels Airport, restoring cargo flows]()
If unexpected rerouting leaves crews or drivers needing urgent Schengen or transit documents, VisaHQ’s Brussels-based team can streamline applications online and liaise with consulates to secure same-day approvals where possible. Their country portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lists visa requirements for France, the Netherlands, Germany and dozens of other destinations served from Brucargo, giving mobility managers a single dashboard to keep paperwork current even when operations shift at the last minute.
The blockade ended after organisers secured a meeting with federal ministers next week, yet union leaders warned that further action remains possible during the treaty-ratification process. Logistics experts advise firms to keep contingency routings on file, stagger cargo drop-offs and maintain updated visa documentation in case diverted flights require crew to enter neighbouring countries at short notice.
For global-mobility managers the episode underscores the importance of crisis playbooks that cover both freight and personnel: where will emergency paperwork be filed if a driver suddenly needs a French or Dutch transit visa because the Belgian border crossing is grid-locked?
Demonstrators allowed lorries through only twice an hour, creating kilometre-long queues and forcing forwarders to divert shipments to Liège, Schiphol and Frankfurt. Brussels Airport Company estimates that every 12 hours of disruption cost about €2 million, delaying pharmaceuticals, e-commerce parcels and automotive parts.
Although passenger flights operated largely as scheduled, some aircrews and relocating employees missed connections when staff buses were caught in tailbacks. Companies had to re-book tickets or arrange overnight accommodation at short notice, showing how industrial action on the cargo side can ripple into people-movement programmes.
If unexpected rerouting leaves crews or drivers needing urgent Schengen or transit documents, VisaHQ’s Brussels-based team can streamline applications online and liaise with consulates to secure same-day approvals where possible. Their country portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lists visa requirements for France, the Netherlands, Germany and dozens of other destinations served from Brucargo, giving mobility managers a single dashboard to keep paperwork current even when operations shift at the last minute.
The blockade ended after organisers secured a meeting with federal ministers next week, yet union leaders warned that further action remains possible during the treaty-ratification process. Logistics experts advise firms to keep contingency routings on file, stagger cargo drop-offs and maintain updated visa documentation in case diverted flights require crew to enter neighbouring countries at short notice.
For global-mobility managers the episode underscores the importance of crisis playbooks that cover both freight and personnel: where will emergency paperwork be filed if a driver suddenly needs a French or Dutch transit visa because the Belgian border crossing is grid-locked?
