Belgium: Travellers Warned of Disruptions as 40% of Flights at Brussels Airport Get Cancelled

A large number of travellers who were scheduled to depart from the Brussels Airport today, January 13, will be affected by a strike.

According to a Brussels Airport spokesperson, all departures from the airport after midday have been cancelled as it is not possible to guarantee security for the passengers amid the strike, Schengen.News reports.

In terms of numbers, the spokesperson revealed that around 40 per cent of all the scheduled flights are cancelled. The same said that delays are also not excluded for flights that are not cancelled.

While it is still too early to know how many passengers have exactly been affected, the airport said that all those who have had their flights cancelled or rescheduled will be notified by the airline. This means that as per EU law, passengers who have had their flight cancelled or delayed will be entitled to compensation.

As for arrivals at the airport, they are less affected, meaning that those departing from the Brussels Airport will mainly face disruptions.

Those travelling from the Brussels South Charleroi Airport will also be affected today as all flights scheduled to depart today after 12 pm have also been cancelled.

International Trains & Public Transport Also Affected by the Strike
In addition to the above-mentioned, it has been noted that international trains and public transport in Brussels will also be affected by the strike.

For international trains that run to and from Belgium, Eurocity Direct (Brussels-Amsterdam) has cancelled two trains, meaning that 14 out of 16 will be running.

EuroCity (Brussels-Rotterdam) has also cancelled trains, with ten out of 16 running from Brussels to Rotterdam and nine out of 16 running the other way around.

Some regional cross-border trains have also been cancelled, affecting both citizens and foreign nationals.

The strike that is being held today was called due to the possible pension reform. The pension reform is being discussed by parties that want to form a new government following the elections that took place in June of last year.

Among the people taking part in the strike are also a large number of teachers. Due to this, schools have also been affected, with many of them being closed for the day.

Source: https://schengen.news/belgium-travellers-warned-of-disruptions-as-40-of-flights-at-brussels-airport-get-cancelled/