Flanders urged to invest in Brussels Airport as border queues worsen
Belgian Interior minister Bernard Quintin has called on the Flemish government and Brussels Airport to invest in better infrastructure as long queues at passport control continue to cause disruption at Brussels Airport.
Passengers arriving from outside the Schengen area have recently faced waits of up to four hours, with some missing flights. Airport chief executive Arnaud Feist warned that “total chaos” could hit the airport this summer if no action is taken.
Quintin admitted there is a shortage of border police, but said staffing is not the only problem. Ten new officers have already started work and another 60 are currently in training. However, he said the airport’s ageing infrastructure and unreliable automated passport gates are also adding to delays.
“There are only six control booths, with room for a maximum of 12 officers,” Quintin said. “I cannot stack agents on top of each other.”
The minister argued that Brussels Airport must improve facilities as passenger numbers grow. He also pointed to recent airport spending priorities, noting that investment had gone into a new parking tower while border control capacity remained limited.
Since Flanders became the airport’s largest shareholder last year, Quintin said the regional government should help fund upgrades instead of focusing only on dividends. Brussels Airport recently announced its first dividend payment in seven years.
The issue is expected to be discussed by Belgium’s federal and regional governments this week as pressure mounts to avoid major disruption during the busy summer travel season.
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