Brussels Airlines to cancel one in five flights on Wednesday due to strike

Brussels Airlines will cancel around 20 per cent of its scheduled flights on Wednesday, the first day of a three-day cabin crew strike. The strike is an initiative of the Christian trade union, the other unions will decide on Wednesday whether or not they will join.

"About eight out of ten flights on Wednesday will take place as scheduled," said Brussels Airlines spokesperson Nico Cardone. On its website, the airline said some flights would be cancelled on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 

"We would like to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by this cancellation," Brussels Airlines said. Passengers affected will be offered an alternative. 

The cabin crew strike is an initiative of the Christian union in a social dispute over pay and work pressure. The liberal and socialist unions will decide on Wednesday, after consultation with management, whether they will join the three-day strike.

The management of Brussels Airlines said on Tuesday that a strike "will not bring us any closer to a solution". "There is a substantial proposal on the table and all union representatives are ready to continue negotiations on the basis of this proposal. Therefore, a strike does not make sense at this stage, as these talks will continue anyway," the management said. 

^{© BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}