On Friday, 9 October 2026, approximately 140 flights arriving and departing from Brussels Airport are cancelled due to a national strike involving part of the ground handling staff from Alyzia. This labour action affects flights handled by Alyzia, a company responsible for ground services at Brussels Airport.
Flight Cancellations Impact UK Routes and Others
Brussels Airlines announced cancellations on flights to and from United Kingdom airports, including the Heathrow departure at 4:55 PM, and Manchester departures scheduled for 10:00 AM and 9:30 PM. Incoming Brussels Airlines flights from Manchester at 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM and from Heathrow at 8:00 PM are also cancelled. Flights involving Paris,
Budapest, Madrid, and Chicago routes are among those affected.
Certain Airlines and Routes Remain Unaffected
British Airways flights to and from Brussels Airport on the strike day are not cancelled and are expected to operate normally, as their ground handling is managed by a different provider. Flights involving Edinburgh also continue without disruption. Low-cost carriers such as Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air are unaffected because they contract ground handling to companies other than Alyzia.
Strike Impacts Ground Handling Operations and Airport Services
Alyzia handles critical ground operations at Brussels Airport including baggage processing, ramp operations, aircraft de-icing, cleaning, and cargo transport. The strike disrupts these services, leading to the extensive cancellations. Approximately half of
the flights managed by Alyzia are still expected to proceed as scheduled despite the industrial action.
Brussels Airlines emphasized that their own employees are not participating in the strike. The airline said, “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.” They added the strike causes significant financial losses and inconveniences to thousands of passengers.
Brussels Airport expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and confirmed the strike affects operations on 9 October, but about half of Alyzia-handled flights should continue normally.
Passengers with
cancelled flights will be contacted directly by their airlines for rebooking or refunds. Airlines impacted by the strike have obligations to provide meals, refreshments, and accommodation where necessary. However, as the disruption is caused by extraordinary circumstances linked to strike action, passengers are not entitled to compensation.
Strike action is also planned across Belgium’s public services on the following Monday, 11 October 2026. While this will not affect air traffic, public transport disruptions are expected to potentially delay travel to and from Brussels Airport that day.
