Brussels Airport has asked airlines to cut departure schedules ahead of a national trade union demonstration in Belgium, with security and ground-handling staff expected to join the action.
Brussels Airport has warned that around half of departing passenger flights may be cancelled on Tuesday, 12 May, as Belgium prepares for another national trade union demonstration against federal government policy.
The airport said airlines had been asked to reduce the number of scheduled departures in advance of the protest, in order to reduce pressure on airport infrastructure and avoid excessive waiting times for passengers. The warning follows an assessment that a significant number of security and ground-handling staff are expected to take part in the industrial action.
The disruption is expected to affect departures more severely than arrivals. Brussels Airport said it was working with all relevant partners to operate as many flights as possible, but acknowledged that major disruption could not be avoided if key operational staff join the strike. The passengers are expected to be contacted directly by their airlines once schedules are adjusted.
The action planned for 12 May forms part of a wider campaign by Belgium’s three main trade union confederations — ABVV/FGTB, ACV/CSC and ACLVB/CGSLB — against the federal government’s social and economic policies. The unions announced the mobilisation earlier this month, calling for a national demonstration in Brussels.
Union statements have focused on pensions, wage indexation, purchasing power and broader social reforms proposed by the federal coalition led by Prime Minister Bart De Wever. The liberal union ACLVB/CGSLB said the 12 May mobilisation reflected continuing concern over the government’s policy direction, particularly in relation to working conditions and social protection, in a statement published on its official website.
For Brussels Airport, the planned protest would mark another interruption in a prolonged period of labour unrest affecting Belgian transport. Aviation24.be reported that it would be the ninth occasion since the beginning of 2025 on which nationwide union action, not directed specifically at aviation, has disrupted airport operations.
Previous national actions have already caused substantial disruption to air travel in Belgium. During the March demonstration in Brussels, airport operations and other transport services were affected by staff shortages linked to industrial action. Public transport, waste collection, prisons and other public services were also disrupted.
The latest warning underlines the sensitivity of airport operations to wider national strikes. Even when aviation is not the direct target, the absence of security screeners, baggage handlers and other ground personnel can force airlines to cancel flights or sharply reduce schedules.
The timing may prove difficult for passengers and airlines. The 12 May action falls on a Tuesday, but the impact of cancellations could extend beyond the day itself if aircraft and crew rotations are disrupted. Airlines are likely to prioritise notifying affected passengers once reduced schedules are finalised.
Belgium has seen repeated demonstrations since the formation of the De Wever government, with unions mobilising against planned reforms to pensions, unemployment rules and public spending. Earlier protests have drawn large numbers of participants in Brussels and have repeatedly affected national transport networks.
The disruption in Brussels also comes after wider labour unrest in European aviation. In Germany, Lufthansa operations have faced strike-related disruption in recent months, with cancellations across several airports. The carrier has also been restructuring parts of its regional operations, including Lufthansa CityLine, amid broader cost and operational pressures.
For passengers due to travel from Brussels on 12 May, the immediate advice is to monitor airline communications and check flight status before travelling to the airport. Brussels Airport has indicated that the reduced departure schedule is intended to preserve safety and prevent excessive queues, rather than allow the airport to operate at full capacity under constrained staffing conditions.
The extent of the disruption will depend on final staffing levels, airline schedule reductions and the practical impact of the demonstration in Brussels. However, the airport’s warning suggests that disruption to departing flights is now expected rather than merely possible.
