Approximately 140 flights arriving at and departing from Brussels Airport were cancelled on Friday, October 9, 2026, due to a national strike by ground handling staff employed by Alyzia.
Flights operating to and from London Heathrow and Manchester airports were among those cancelled. Brussels Airlines canceled specific flights including its 4:55 pm departure to Heathrow, 10:00 am and 9:30 pm departures to Manchester, outbound Manchester flights at 8:30 am and 1:30 pm, and its 8:00 pm inbound flight from Heathrow. Other affected destinations included Paris, Budapest, Madrid, and Chicago.
British Airways maintained operations for all Brussels Airport flights on the
affected day, including those traveling to and from Edinburgh. Low-cost carriers Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air were not impacted as they use a different ground handling provider. Alyzia is responsible for passenger aircraft ground handling, baggage processing, ramp services, aircraft cleaning, de-icing, and cargo transport for about 20 airlines at Brussels Airport.
In an official statement, Brussels Airport confirmed the strike involvement of Alyzia personnel and said roughly half of the flights they handle continued as scheduled. The airport regretted the cancellations caused by the union action. Brussels Airlines noted this was the third disruption to their schedule this year
caused by industrial action from external parties and expressed regret over the disruption to thousands of passengers and the financial impact on the airline.
Passengers with affected flights managed by Alyzia were to be contacted directly by their airlines regarding cancellations and available rebooking or refund options. Meanwhile, public transport disruptions were anticipated in Belgium on Monday, October 11, although air traffic would not be affected then. Delays on surface transportation could affect passenger transfers to and from Brussels Airport on that day.
Flight cancellations caused by strikes such as this are classified as “extraordinary circumstances,” releasing airlines from the
obligation to compensate passengers financially. However, airlines must offer rebooking, refunds, and necessary care including food and accommodation.
