Brussels Airport has published its traffic figures for March 2026, confirming that 1,767,797 passengers used the national gateway – a 1.9 % increase on March 2025. The rise came in a turbulent month. All flights to Tel Aviv and Doha were suspended after security assessments linked to the expanding Middle-East conflict, while Emirates and Etihad trimmed Dubai and Abu Dhabi frequencies. These schedule cuts alone cost the hub an estimated 50,000 travellers, according to the airport and airline data. In addition, a 12 March national protest against federal austerity measures triggered a one-day walk-out by outsourced security staff; 359 flights were cancelled and 30,000 passengers were forced to re-route or postpone trips. Yet leisure demand remained resilient. The late-February Carnival holidays boosted outbound family travel, and two new carriers – Air China (Chengdu) and Volotea (Oviedo) – added fresh capacity. The ten busiest markets were Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, Morocco, Turkey, the United States, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
![Brussels Airport posts 1.9 % passenger growth in March despite strikes and Middle-East flight suspensions]()
Travellers facing such an unpredictable operating environment may also need rapid assistance with documentation. VisaHQ’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets passengers and corporate travel teams check visa requirements, obtain electronic authorisations and arrange courier support worldwide, ensuring last-minute itinerary changes don’t become paperwork headaches.
Cargo bucked the disruption, climbing 8.8 % year-on-year to 75,000 t thanks to integrator and freighter growth that more than offset a belly-hold dip. Airport management said the figures underline the importance of route diversification and a “robust contingency playbook” that can absorb external shocks ranging from geopolitical crises to labour unrest. For corporate travel teams, the data illustrate two practical points: first, Belgian gateways can still deliver capacity even when certain long-haul corridors are closed; second, contingency planning for strikes remains essential in 2026, particularly when outsourced staff are involved in critical security functions.
Travellers facing such an unpredictable operating environment may also need rapid assistance with documentation. VisaHQ’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets passengers and corporate travel teams check visa requirements, obtain electronic authorisations and arrange courier support worldwide, ensuring last-minute itinerary changes don’t become paperwork headaches.
Cargo bucked the disruption, climbing 8.8 % year-on-year to 75,000 t thanks to integrator and freighter growth that more than offset a belly-hold dip. Airport management said the figures underline the importance of route diversification and a “robust contingency playbook” that can absorb external shocks ranging from geopolitical crises to labour unrest. For corporate travel teams, the data illustrate two practical points: first, Belgian gateways can still deliver capacity even when certain long-haul corridors are closed; second, contingency planning for strikes remains essential in 2026, particularly when outsourced staff are involved in critical security functions.
