Brussels Airlines pilots to strike from 27 to 30 March

Brussels Airlines pilots will be on strike for four days from 27 to 30 March. A new round of negotiations between the unions and the airline failed to produce an agreement on Friday, Brussels Airlines said.

Unions and management are negotiating over pilots' pay and working conditions. The employees, who suffered severe cuts during the Covid-19 crisis to keep the company afloat, want a pay rise now that the airline is profitable again. 

An agreement was in sight but collapsed on Wednesday. The social partners also failed to reach an agreement on Friday. Earlier this week, parties did reach an agreement on better pay for cabin crew. 

"One profitable year is not enough to undo all the efforts we have made to achieve these results"

Brussels Airlines said it would assess the impact of this strike on its schedule and inform passengers as soon as possible.

"We apologise for any inconvenience, and our colleagues will do everything possible to get everyone to their destination as quickly as possible," the airline said. 

Brussels Airlines said it understood the demand to share in the airline's profits, but at the same time it had to remain cautious. "One profitable year is not enough to undo all the efforts we have made to achieve these results," the airline said. 

^{Brussels Airlines pilots on strike in June 2022 © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND}