Brussels Airlines is facing the threat of industrial action after a Belgian trade union accused the carrier of forcing employees to work on flights to Tel Aviv despite an earlier agreement allowing staff to refuse such assignments.
The dispute centres on services between Brussels and Israel, which the Belgian flag carrier resumed this summer. During the initial weeks following the restart, the flights were staffed by employees who volunteered for the route. However, Brussels Airlines has since returned to its standard crew rostering procedures.
According to The Brussels Times, Belgian trade union ACV Puls argues that this violates previous agreements under which only volunteers would be used to staff the flights.
“Staff have serious concerns about both their physical safety and the mental and ethical impact of these flights,” said Jolinde Defieuw of ACV Puls. “Nevertheless, Brussels Airlines refuses to give employees the option to refuse such assignments.”
The union issued a strike notice that took effect on 1 September and warned that industrial action could follow if the airline does not reverse its decision. However, ACV Puls stressed that any disruption would be limited to Tel Aviv services.
“Any disruption will be limited exclusively to flights to and from Tel Aviv. ACV Puls will protect any employee who does not wish to fly to a war zone,” Defieuw said.
The union also pointed to Belgian government travel advice, which warns against all non-essential travel to Israel and Jerusalem, arguing that Brussels Airlines “cannot act as though Tel Aviv is a normal business destination”.
Airline returns to standard rostering
Brussels Airlines has defended the decision to return to normal crew scheduling, saying the voluntary system was introduced during the initial phase of the route’s resumption.
“Brussels Airlines resumed operations to Tel Aviv this summer. During the first few weeks, these flights were operated by volunteers. Now that these flights have been successfully resumed, we can return to the standard procedure for drawing up duty rosters,” the airline said.
The carrier added that it would continue monitoring developments alongside other Lufthansa Group airlines and could adjust its procedures if necessary.
The dispute illustrates the operational challenges airlines continue to face when restoring connectivity to Israel. Other European carriers have also reportedly encountered reluctance among crew members to operate Tel Aviv services amid regional security concerns.
International airlines gradually return to Tel Aviv
The controversy comes as international connectivity to Israel is gradually being rebuilt following years of disruption caused by conflict and airspace closures in the region.
As reported by Travel Tomorrow, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are preparing to resume services to Tel Aviv ahead of the Jewish High Holidays. Delta is scheduled to restart its daily New York–Tel Aviv service on 6 September, while United plans to resume twice-daily flights between Newark and Tel Aviv on 8 September.
United is also planning to restore connections from Chicago and Washington, D.C., in October, while Delta is expected to restart its Atlanta service in December. American Airlines, meanwhile, has postponed the return of its US–Israel services until spring 2027.
The contrasting developments highlight the complexity facing airlines as they rebuild schedules to Israel. While carriers are gradually restoring capacity, decisions over when and how to return continue to depend not only on passenger demand and security assessments, but also on the willingness of airline employees to operate the routes.
