Passengers and politicians alike vented frustration on 5 May after fresh videos showed snaking, two-hour security and passport-control queues at Brussels Airport. Belgian MP Michael Freilich posted footage on social platform X, calling the delays “detrimental to the economy, tourism AND image” and demanding that operators “fix it”. Airport officials attribute the bottlenecks to a perfect storm of surging spring-holiday volumes, staffing shortages and the bedding-in of the EU’s new EES biometric system. Average daily passenger numbers have climbed to 80,000—close to pre-pandemic highs—while hiring lags behind attrition in security-screening contractors. Compounding the problem is a nationwide general strike planned for 12 May, which has already forced Brussels Airport to cancel more than half its scheduled departures. Management warns that if picket lines stop key personnel from reaching the terminal, waiting times could dwarf this week’s levels. Several airlines are proactively rebooking customers onto flights outside the strike window. Travel-risk advisers are telling corporate clients to arrive at least three hours before Schengen departures and four hours for long-haul until further notice.
![Two-Hour Queues Trigger Public Backlash at Brussels Airport Ahead of May 12 Strike]()
For travellers worried about lining up paperwork as well as airport queues, VisaHQ can take one headache off the list: its digital service for Belgium (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets passengers secure visas, passport renewals and other travel documents quickly, with real-time status updates and expert support that cuts down on unexpected delays.
They also recommend contingency routes via Amsterdam Schiphol or Paris CDG for time-sensitive trips. Mobile-workforce programmes should brief assignees on strike etiquette: crossing picket lines can escalate tensions and void some travel-insurance clauses. The latest spotlight on operational pain is fuelling calls for structural reform. Industry bodies want Belgium to fast-track additional automated-gate capacity and streamline staff-vetting processes to enlarge the security-screening pool before the peak summer season.
For travellers worried about lining up paperwork as well as airport queues, VisaHQ can take one headache off the list: its digital service for Belgium (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets passengers secure visas, passport renewals and other travel documents quickly, with real-time status updates and expert support that cuts down on unexpected delays.
They also recommend contingency routes via Amsterdam Schiphol or Paris CDG for time-sensitive trips. Mobile-workforce programmes should brief assignees on strike etiquette: crossing picket lines can escalate tensions and void some travel-insurance clauses. The latest spotlight on operational pain is fuelling calls for structural reform. Industry bodies want Belgium to fast-track additional automated-gate capacity and streamline staff-vetting processes to enlarge the security-screening pool before the peak summer season.
