Labour unrest is spreading to Belgium’s air-cargo gateway. On 27 January 2026 the liberal union CGSLB and metalworkers’ union FGTB Métal jointly lodged a strike notice at Liège Airport, citing chronic staff shortages and unsustainable workloads. Liège handles more than one million tonnes of freight annually and is Europe’s fifth-largest cargo hub; a shutdown would disrupt express parcels for DHL, FedEx and Alibaba as well as live-animal shipments and temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.(brusselstimes.com)
Union representatives say management has relied on temporary contracts instead of hiring permanent staff, leaving existing employees facing “constant pressure and physical as well as mental fatigue.” The unions want a concrete head-count increase and a long-term workforce plan before the 10 February deadline, when a separate action is already scheduled by the Setca union over alleged unfair dismissals.(brusselstimes.com)
![Unions File Strike Notice at Liège Airport, Threatening Cargo and Passenger Operations]()
If managers need to dispatch staff to alternate airports at short notice, VisaHQ can fast-track any Belgian or Schengen visa requirements and arrange supporting documents for couriers or technicians; more details are available at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/
For corporate mobility teams the timing could not be worse: Liège has grown into a preferred entry point for high-value consignments and for charter flights that connect to road feeder services into Germany, the Netherlands and northern France. A strike would force freight forwarders to reroute to Brussels or Luxembourg, adding both cost and transit time. Passenger charter operators, including tour groups that use Liège as a low-cost alternative to Brussels, could also see last-minute cancellations.
Practical advice for employers includes: 1) instruct travel managers to avoid booking itineraries through Liège in the week of 10 February unless the dispute is resolved; 2) alert supply-chain colleagues so that contingency routings can be pre-approved; 3) remind assignees whose household goods are routed via Liège that clearance delays are possible; and 4) monitor union communications, as Belgian labour law only requires 24 hours’ notice for a full work stoppage once mediation fails.
Union representatives say management has relied on temporary contracts instead of hiring permanent staff, leaving existing employees facing “constant pressure and physical as well as mental fatigue.” The unions want a concrete head-count increase and a long-term workforce plan before the 10 February deadline, when a separate action is already scheduled by the Setca union over alleged unfair dismissals.(brusselstimes.com)
If managers need to dispatch staff to alternate airports at short notice, VisaHQ can fast-track any Belgian or Schengen visa requirements and arrange supporting documents for couriers or technicians; more details are available at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/
For corporate mobility teams the timing could not be worse: Liège has grown into a preferred entry point for high-value consignments and for charter flights that connect to road feeder services into Germany, the Netherlands and northern France. A strike would force freight forwarders to reroute to Brussels or Luxembourg, adding both cost and transit time. Passenger charter operators, including tour groups that use Liège as a low-cost alternative to Brussels, could also see last-minute cancellations.
Practical advice for employers includes: 1) instruct travel managers to avoid booking itineraries through Liège in the week of 10 February unless the dispute is resolved; 2) alert supply-chain colleagues so that contingency routings can be pre-approved; 3) remind assignees whose household goods are routed via Liège that clearance delays are possible; and 4) monitor union communications, as Belgian labour law only requires 24 hours’ notice for a full work stoppage once mediation fails.
