Approximately 140 flights scheduled to land and depart from Brussels Airport were cancelled on Friday, 9 October 2026, due to a national strike involving staff from ground handling company Alyzia. The strike disrupted key ground services including baggage handling, ramp operations, de-icing, and cargo transport.
Brussels Airlines Flight Cancellations
Brussels Airlines cancelled several flights to and from the United Kingdom: the 4:55 pm departure to London Heathrow, departures to Manchester at 10:00 am and 9:30 pm, flights from Manchester at 8:30 am and 1:30 pm, and the 8:00 pm arrival from Heathrow were all affected. Flights to and from Paris, Budapest, Madrid, and Chicago
also faced cancellations.
Unaffected Airlines and Routes
British Airways flights to and from Brussels Airport on 9 October remained unaffected. Similarly, flights to and from Edinburgh continued as scheduled. Low-cost carriers Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air were not impacted because they employ a different ground handling provider. Brussels Airlines confirmed that its own employees were not involved in the strike action.
Passenger Impact and Airline Responses
The strike affected the travel plans of thousands of passengers. Airlines collaborating with Alyzia are responsible for rebooking or refunding flights without additional charges and providing food, drink, and accommodation when necessary. Passengers were directly contacted regarding flight status and options. Flight cancellations
due to strike action are classified as extraordinary circumstances, exempting airlines from paying compensation.
Brussels Airport stated that about half of Alyzia-handled flights were expected to operate as planned despite the strike and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused by the union action.
Brussels Airlines remarked, “We regret that this is already the third time this year that our flight schedule has been seriously disrupted by industrial action taken by external parties.” The airline noted the significant financial impact of the disruption.
Strike action was also expected on the following Monday across Belgium’s public services but was not anticipated to
affect air traffic. However, public transport disruptions could delay travel to and from Brussels Airport.
