- Brussels Airlines expects to cancel around 40% of its flights on Friday, October 9, because Alyzia will have limited staff.
- Brussels Airport estimates around 140 cancellations across arrivals and departures; about half of Alyzia-handled flights may operate as planned.
- Affected customers can choose another itinerary or a refund; demonstrations may also disrupt buses, trams and the metro.
Brussels Airlines will cancel around 40% of its scheduled flights on Friday, October 9, 2026, after ground handler Alyzia said it would operate with limited staff during nationwide demonstrations. The airline expected about 30,000 passengers that day. The airport estimates roughly 140 arrivals and departures will be cancelled.
The cuts stem from the handler’s staffing levels, not action by the airline’s own employees. A large demonstration is planned in Brussels.
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Nico Cardone, the airline’s spokesperson, said affected customers would be contacted with another travel option or could choose a refund. Passengers can also check their booking before travelling.
The airport expects only about half of the flights handled by the affected company to operate as planned. Disruptions may reach beyond the runway.
A staffing shortage at one handler drives the flight cuts
Alyzia supplies ground services to about 20 airlines at Brussels Airport. Its work includes baggage, ramp operations, aircraft cleaning, de-icing, cargo and mail handling. With staffing limited on Friday, airlines relying on those services face a reduced operating capacity.
The airport’s other passenger ground handler, Aviapartner, is not currently expected to be affected. That distinction leaves some flights outside the disruption, although passengers should still check their individual bookings.
| Service or operator | Expected Friday status |
|---|---|
| Flights handled by Alyzia | About half expected to operate as planned |
| Flights handled by Aviapartner | Not currently expected to be affected |
| Reported Brussels Airlines cancellations | Services involving London Heathrow, Manchester, Paris, Budapest, Madrid and Chicago |
| British Airways flights and Edinburgh services | Reported as scheduled to operate normally at the time of publication |
The airport’s estimate of around 140 cancellations covers arrivals and departures across its schedule. It is separate from the airline’s estimate that around 40% of its own flights will be cancelled.
The airline says it will offer affected passengers another itinerary or a refund
Cardone said the carrier would contact customers whose flights are cancelled. He outlined the options in a statement:
“Passengers whose flights are cancelled will be contacted proactively with an alternative travel option, or they can choose to receive a refund for their ticket.”
Customers can also look up their flight through the airline’s “My Booking” section. Check the reservation before setting out, since airport flight information will change as airlines register cancellations.
EU passenger-rights rules generally require an airline to offer a refund or rerouting to the final destination, subject to the circumstances and available seats. The airline’s stated offer gives passengers a direct route to find out what alternative itinerary is available for their booking.
The demonstrations could complicate airport journeys even when flights remain scheduled. Brussels’ STIB bus, tram and metro network is also expected to face major disruption, making public-transport trips slower or less predictable.
Union demonstrations will also disrupt buses, trams and the metro
The socialist ABVV-FGTB is organizing a national demonstration in Brussels on Friday. The Christian ACV-CSC plans to march to the headquarters of Belgium’s federal governing parties. Both actions target measures introduced by the federal government.
The ACV-CSC says those measures are pushing large numbers of people into financial hardship without reducing the public deficit. The dispute therefore extends beyond the airport: the planned protests involve a wider challenge to the government’s policy agenda.
The transport effects will be felt across the city. STIB services, including buses, trams and the metro, may be disrupted by the strike and demonstrations. Passengers heading to the airport should allow for uncertainty on the way there, even if their flight is operating.
The unions have named three conditions that could trigger another walkout
The FGTB has set out three “red lines” for the government: a unilateral attack on wage indexation, a VAT increase and the annualization of working time. The union says crossing those lines during October budget negotiations could lead to a general strike.
It says it has a mandate to call that walkout during the week of November 23, 2026, if the government crosses its stated limits. That possibility lies beyond Friday’s demonstration, but it gives the current dispute a potential next date.
The airline said it was not involved in the industrial action. It also said the disruption would affect thousands of travellers and carry a significant financial cost for the company.
The carrier described Friday’s stoppage as its third serious schedule disruption this year tied to industrial action by outside parties:
“We regret that this is the third time this year that our flight schedule has been seriously disrupted by union action involving external parties.”
Passengers should check directly with the airline before leaving for Brussels Airport. The airport will update its flight information as airlines register cancellations, while the next union flashpoint could come during the November 23 week.
