Around 140 flights to and from Brussels Airport are expected to be cancelled on Friday, 9 October, as industrial action involving ground handling staff disrupts operations at Belgium’s largest airport.
The disruption comes amid nationwide union action, with employees of ground handling company Alyzia set to take part. Brussels Airport confirmed that several flights would be cancelled due to the action, although it did not officially specify the total number. Belgian media reported that around 140 arrivals and departures are expected to be affected.
Alyzia provides ground handling services for several major airlines operating at Brussels Airport, including Brussels Airlines. Its activities include baggage handling, ramp operations, aircraft cleaning, de-icing and the transport of cargo and mail. According to Brussels Airport, the company is expected to operate with limited staffing on Friday.
#unionaction 9 October ⚠️ Due to limited staffing at ground handler Alyzia, approximately half of the flights handled by them are expected to operate as planned. Passengers whose flight is cancelled will be contacted by their airline with more information. We apologise for the inconvenience.
— Brussels Airport (@BrusselsAirport) October 6, 2026
Brussels Airlines is expected to be particularly affected, with around 40% of its scheduled flights impacted. The carrier stressed that it is not involved in the industrial action and said the disruption would affect the travel plans of thousands of passengers.
“We regret that this is already the third time this year that our flight schedule has been seriously disrupted by industrial action taken by external parties,” Brussels Airlines said, adding that the action would also have a significant financial impact on the company.
Passengers whose flights are affected will be contacted by Brussels Airlines to arrange alternative travel. The airline has also advised customers to check their flight status through the “My Booking” section of its website before travelling.
The disruption coincides with trade union demonstrations planned in Brussels on Friday. The socialist ABVV-FGTB union is organising a national demonstration, while the Christian ACV-CSC union is expected to march to the headquarters of Belgium’s federal governing parties.
The unions are protesting against measures introduced by Belgium’s federal government. ACV-CSC has argued that government policies are placing additional pressure on households while failing to sufficiently address the country’s public deficit. The unions have also called for changes to government policy on issues including wage indexation, VAT and working time.
Friday’s cancellations add to a series of labour-related disruptions affecting Brussels Airport this year. Reuters reported that the latest cancellations are directly linked to Alyzia employees joining the nationwide action, with the disruption expected to affect travellers throughout the day.
