National strike to ground all flights at Brussels and Charleroi on 12 March – travel warning issued
Parliament committee backs lifelong entry-ban powers for Immigration Office
Weekend works will reroute traffic to Brussels Airport as R0–A201 junction installs smart lights
Latest News
Belgium joins international regulators in crackdown on airline ‘greenwashing’ claims
Belgium’s consumer watchdog has signed a multi-country warning demanding airlines stop using unsubstantiated carbon-neutral or ‘green’ marketing claims. The guidance, issued 10 March, foreshadows potential fines and could reshape corporate *green fare* offerings, affecting travel budgets and ESG reporting.
Brussels & Charleroi airports confirm zero outbound flights for 12 March amid national strike
On 9 March, both Brussels-Zaventem and Charleroi airports confirmed that no departing commercial flights will operate on 12 March due to a nationwide general strike. Airlines have begun mass rebooking, and businesses are diverting travellers via neighbouring hubs. The shutdown is expected to cost airlines and airport concessions over €12 million and will significantly disrupt corporate mobility plans this week.
Three-day rail strike begins in Belgium, cutting national train capacity by nearly half
A 72-hour strike by the socialist rail union started on 9 March 2026, forcing SNCB to operate only 70 % of its InterCity trains and about half of local services. International trains are running on reduced schedules, and weekend engineering works in Brussels have exacerbated bottlenecks. The walk-out foreshadows a nationwide protest on 12 March that could shut down much of Belgium’s transport network, prompting companies to activate remote-work and travel-contingency plans.
Zeebrugge radar-centre walk-out halts vessel traffic from 19:30 on 9 March, clogging Belgian ports
A sudden strike at Zeebrugge’s vessel-traffic centre shut down pilotage on the evening of 9 March, blocking all deep-sea arrivals and departures at Belgium’s main seaports. By nightfall, more than 20 ships were waiting, and Antwerp-Bruges forecast knock-on delays through 12 March. The stoppage threatens just-in-time automotive and energy supply chains and forces shippers to consider costly diversions.
Royal Air Maroc pulls Brussels flights for 12 March and offers free rebooking
Royal Air Maroc cancelled its Casablanca– and Marrakech–Brussels rotations scheduled for 12 March and, on 9 March, unveiled a generous rebooking policy, including free changes to Amsterdam. The carrier’s early announcement highlights the broader impact Belgium’s general strike is having on inter-continental corporate travel flows.
Belgium completes airlift, repatriating 432 nationals from Gulf states
Belgium has concluded a two-day airlift that flew 432 nationals and about 100 other EU citizens out of the Gulf region, the Foreign Ministry said on 9 March. The operation, partly funded by the EU’s rescEU mechanism, demonstrates a growing EU capacity for joint evacuations and signals that any late registrants will now be placed on partner-country flights.