Nationwide Belgium Strike Halts Flights, Disrupts 48,000 Passengers in Brussels

On October 14, 2025, Belgium experienced air travel disruptions due to a nationwide strike, which grounded most flights departing from Belgium’s two largest airports: Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport.

Security staff at both airports, including those responsible for screenings and baggage handling, joined the strike. This led to the cancellation of all outgoing flights at these airports, with Brussels Airport canceling around 200 flights.

Many flights connecting Belgium to destinations, including Morocco, were grounded.

This affected approximately 33,000 passengers scheduled to depart and an additional 15,000 arriving passengers.

In addition to air travel disruptions, the strike halted much of Belgium’s public transportation. Metro, tram, and bus services in Brussels operated at limited capacity, and regions in Flanders and Wallonia faced heavy service cancellations.

The strike was organized by several unions protesting government measures, including public spending cuts, pension reforms, and wage policies.

Although the strike officially lasted only one day, ongoing negotiations between the unions and the government may influence further actions.

This year has seen numerous disruptions in air travel due to strikes organized by unions representing various travel workers. Check out our explainer on airline strikes to learn about recent events, what sparked them, and their impact on travel.

Photo by Najib Samatar on Unsplash