No departing flights at Brussels Airport on 26 November due to national strike
Brussels Airport will halt all departing passenger flights on Wednesday, 26 November, as widespread participation in a national private-sector strike is expected to disrupt security and ground-handling operations, the airport operator announced.
The move aims to “ensure the safety of passengers and staff and avoid excessive queues”, the operator said. Arriving flights will be allowed, though cancellations are anticipated. Airlines will notify passengers directly.
Union actions are scheduled nationwide on 24, 25 and 26 November. Industrial action on Monday (24 November) will target the railways, followed on Tuesday (25 November) by strikes across public services. The private sector will stage a general strike on Wednesday (26 November). Brussels Airport does not expect operational disruption on the first two days.
The three-day mobilisation comes ahead of the federal government’s budget negotiations. Belgium faces a 26-billion euro deficit, projected to reach 39 billion euros within four years under current policies. Structural imbalances in the tax and welfare system are at the centre of the debate, with long-term illness and unemployment rising, while the effective tax rate for the highest-earning one per cent is estimated at roughly half that of the median taxpayer.
Trade unions argue that the budget must address social inequality rather than impose further pressure on lower- and middle-income households. Economists have also voiced concern. In an interview with Knack, Paul De Grauwe of the London School of Economics warned that persistent inequality risks undermining democratic stability. He cautioned that cuts-only budgeting weakens the state’s capacity to provide social protection and manage societal risks, fuelling voter frustration and driving support towards extremist parties.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO MARIUS BURGELMAN