After months of unsuccessful negotiations and repeated strikes, Brussels Airlines and pilot unions have finally reached an agreement, just before a strike was bound to paralyse Easter weekend travel.
A pilot strike was initially supposed to take place from 23 to 27 March, then it was briefly put on hold as negotiations seemed to be going well, then it was rescheduled for Easter weekend, from 27 to 30 March, as taclks broke down. Now, the airline management has announced they were able to reach an agreement and the strike has been called off.
During the Covid-19 pandemic airline employees agreed to have their salaries reduced so that the company could remain operational. However, as travel has been returning to normal and especially since Brussels Airlines posted record figures last year, with an operating (gross) profit of €53 million, cabin crew and pilots have been more adamant in having their salaries returned to their pre-pandemic levels as well as receiving inflation compensation.
Brussels Airlines reached a €1.6 billion turnover last year, with an operating profit of €53 million, finally turning to positive results after posting a gross loss of €74 million in 2022. According to Lufthansa Group’s balance sheet for 2023, the Belgian carrier achieved a net profit of €38 million. However, the airline’s margin remained at 3.4%, which is “some way to go before reaching our 8% target margin and can truly speak of sustainable profitability”, according to Brussels Airlines CFO Nina Öwerdieck.
The airline has been pointing to the small profit margin in negotiations, but has said the deal it finally reached with unions takes “into account its current financial reality”. A deal with cabin crew unions was also reached two weeks ago. While the exact details of the agreement have not been revealed, the focus is on a reviewed gross salary grid in 2 steps, one step already this year and another step in 2026.
“Brussels Airlines is confident that the social peace can return to the company, so the airline can live up to its promise to be the most reliable airline, making everyone feel at home”, the carrier said in a statement. “We would like to thank the unions for the constructive meetings. It proves again that staying around the table with everybody committed to finding solutions, mountains can be moved”, the airline’s Head of Flight Operations, Filip Aerts commented.
Since the beginning of the year, employee walkouts have cost Brussels Airlines €4 million, according to Belga News Agency, so reaching an agreement with the unions is a welcome relief. On the other hand, for Lufthansa, which operates under the same group as Brussels Airlines, strikes have cost €100 million this year, with no apparent compromise in sight.
