Brussels Airport expects its busiest spring holiday since the pandemic, forecasting nearly 1.3 million passengers between 27 April and 12 May. The figure is 7.9 percent higher than last year and reflects pent-up leisure demand as well as overlapping Belgian and Dutch school breaks. Airport operator Brussels Airport Company says Monday, 4 May will be the peak travel day, with more than 82,000 travellers projected to pass through the terminal.
![Brussels Airport braces for 1.3 million spring-holiday passengers]()
For travellers still sorting out entry requirements, VisaHQ can help take the stress out of pre-trip formalities. The company’s online platform allows Belgian residents to check visa rules, gather the right documents and lodge applications for hundreds of destinations in just a few clicks—visit https://www.visahq.com/belgium/ for details.
Management is urging passengers to arrive two hours before Schengen flights and three hours before non-Schengen departures to avoid bottlenecks at security and border control. Additional staff have been rostered, self-service bag-drop units will remain open 24/7 and security lanes have been re-configured to segregate EU/EEA and third-country nationals, a move designed to ease flows ahead of the full introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System later this year. For mobility managers the guidance is timely. Business travellers heading to Iberian, Italian and North-African destinations—the most popular routes this season—should factor in the longer dwell times when scheduling meetings or onward connections. Employers are also reminded that Schengen passport controls may still involve biometric enrolment for non-EU assignees; early arrival reduces the risk of missed flights and the costly re-ticketing that often follows. Cargo throughput is expected to hold steady at around 61,000 tonnes for the fortnight, but handlers warn that labour availability remains tight and could be further strained if strike-prone carriers such as Lufthansa cancel or consolidate services at short notice. The airport says it is monitoring the situation and will update slot allocations daily. Looking ahead, renovation works on taxiway intersections are due to resume after the holidays, potentially re-routing aircraft ground movements and marginally extending taxi times. Mobility teams planning group travel in late May should build extra buffers into itineraries and continue to monitor airport advisories.
For travellers still sorting out entry requirements, VisaHQ can help take the stress out of pre-trip formalities. The company’s online platform allows Belgian residents to check visa rules, gather the right documents and lodge applications for hundreds of destinations in just a few clicks—visit https://www.visahq.com/belgium/ for details.
Management is urging passengers to arrive two hours before Schengen flights and three hours before non-Schengen departures to avoid bottlenecks at security and border control. Additional staff have been rostered, self-service bag-drop units will remain open 24/7 and security lanes have been re-configured to segregate EU/EEA and third-country nationals, a move designed to ease flows ahead of the full introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System later this year. For mobility managers the guidance is timely. Business travellers heading to Iberian, Italian and North-African destinations—the most popular routes this season—should factor in the longer dwell times when scheduling meetings or onward connections. Employers are also reminded that Schengen passport controls may still involve biometric enrolment for non-EU assignees; early arrival reduces the risk of missed flights and the costly re-ticketing that often follows. Cargo throughput is expected to hold steady at around 61,000 tonnes for the fortnight, but handlers warn that labour availability remains tight and could be further strained if strike-prone carriers such as Lufthansa cancel or consolidate services at short notice. The airport says it is monitoring the situation and will update slot allocations daily. Looking ahead, renovation works on taxiway intersections are due to resume after the holidays, potentially re-routing aircraft ground movements and marginally extending taxi times. Mobility teams planning group travel in late May should build extra buffers into itineraries and continue to monitor airport advisories.
