Around 140 flights arriving at and departing from Brussels Airport on October 9 could be cancelled due to a national strike by ground handler Alyzia, with services between Brussels and Manchester among those affected.
Ground handler strike hits Brussels Airport
In a statement on its website, Brussels Airport said: “On Friday 9 October there is a national manifestation. Part of the staff from ground handler Alyzia is expected to take part in this action. Based on the current information approximately half of the flights handled by Alyzia are expected to operate as planned. Unfortunately, a number of flights will have to be cancelled.”
The airport added that passengers would be contacted directly. It said its website would be updated to show cancellations only once they are registered by the airline and apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Brussels Airlines flights affected
Alyzia handles airline operations for several large airlines flying to and from Brussels, including Brussels Airlines, The Brussels Times reports. The airline operates four flights between Brussels and Manchester Airport which could be impacted.
These are flights from Brussels to Manchester at 10am and 9.30pm, and two flights from Manchester to Brussels, departing at 8.30am and 1.30pm. Flights operated by other airlines including Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways are not affected as their ground handling is dealt with by a different firm.
Wider disruption and next steps
Flights between Brussels and other destinations including London, Paris and Chicago are set to be impacted. In a statement on its website, Brussels Airlines said: “Due to the national manifestation in Belgium on Friday, October 9th, and the expected impact on the workforce of our handling partner, we are unfortunately required to cancel part of our flight schedule. In case your travel plans are impacted by a cancellation, we will contact you via email with further instructions.
“You can always check your reservation via 'My Bookings' on our website, our chat assistant, or via your travel agent. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.”
Brussels Airport added that there is further strike action planned on October 12 but it is not expected to impact flights. However, disruption to public transport is expected and passengers are urged to plan their journey to and from the airport accordingly.
