Brussels airport cancels all departing flights due to security staff strike

Later this week pilots and cabin crew working for Brussels Airlines are expected to walk out.

Ground stop: Brussels Airlines has cancelled outbound passenger flights (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

No passenger flights are taking off from Brussels airport all day on Monday due to a strike by security staff.

In a statement, the Belgian hub said: “Brussels airport has closed to all departures due to security strike.

“No departing flights on Monday 20 June.

“Due to the national manifestation and strike of a large part of the security staff of G4S on Monday 20 June, no passenger flights will depart from Brussels airport.

“Passengers are urged not to come to the airport and to rebook their flight.

“Only arriving (and cargo) flights will be carried out.

“Contact your airline to rebook your flight.”

The stoppage is part of a national strike day organised by trade unions ACV, ACLVB and ABVV, demanding help for workers faced with the rising cost of living.

Local public transport in Belgium is also affected by industrial action.

British Airways has cancelled all but one of its five daily flights from London Heathrow to Brussels on Monday. The only remaining service will return empty.

Brussels Airlines flights from the capital to London Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester have been grounded.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Belgium’s main airport handled over 25 million passengers annually – the same size as London Stansted.

It is a key hub for flights to west and central Africa.

In 2016 two Isil terrorists detonated bombs at Brussels airport, as part of a coordinated attack in which more than 30 people died.

The security provider, G4S, won a contract to operate security at Brussels airport in 2017. It provides aviation and security services at 120 airports worldwide.

Operations at the Belgian capital’s budget airport, Charleroi, appear to be running normally – even though G4S also provides security.

Later this week pilots and cabin crew working for Brussels Airlines are expected to walk out.