Spontaneous Strike at Brussels Airport Causes Major Delays
Passengers at Brussels Airport faced long queues and delays of up to three hours on Monday after a spontaneous strike broke out among ground handling staff at Aviapartner, one of the airport’s two ground handling companies. The walkout, which began in the early hours of the morning, disrupted check-in and boarding operations for around 20 flights, though no cancellations were reported as of midday.
According to VRT NWS, the strike began between 03:30 and 04:00 local time. Brussels Airport spokesperson Jeffrey Franssens confirmed the disruption, stating: “The strike broke out last night around 03:30 to 04:00. This leads to disruption of check-in and boarding operations and thus delays to some flights.”
Affected Airlines and Operations
The industrial action specifically targeted check-in and boarding staff — the administrative and office personnel responsible for passenger processing — rather than baggage handlers on the tarmac. As a result, arriving passengers experienced no disruption to baggage collection.
Only flights handled by Aviapartner were affected. These include services operated by TUI fly, Ryanair, Iberia, and British Airways. Passengers flying with Brussels Airlines, which is handled by the airport’s other ground handler Alyzia, experienced no delays. BRUZZ reported that by around 10:15, approximately 20 flights had been impacted, with delays ranging from one to three hours.
“We learned this morning that there was a spontaneous strike at Aviapartner, one of the handling agents,” said Ihsane Chioua Lekhli, another Brussels Airport spokesperson, speaking to BRUZZ. “So there is less staff available for checking in and boarding their flights, which unfortunately leads to delays for passengers.”
Uncertain Duration and Cause
The exact cause of the walkout remained unclear as of Monday afternoon. In union circles, the action was described as a “spontaneous staff meeting” related to ongoing negotiations over wages and working conditions. Neither Aviapartner management nor union representatives were immediately available for comment.
A spokesperson for Brussels Airport told The Brussels Times: “We were informed of the strike after it began in the early hours of the morning and were working to minimise disruption.” The duration of the strike remains unknown, and passengers have been advised to check the status of their flights with their airlines before travelling to the airport.
Broader Context of Labor Unrest
This strike comes at the start of the busy summer travel period and follows a series of labor disputes in Belgium’s aviation sector. Just two weeks prior, on June 2, Brussels Airport experienced a complete shutdown due to a strike by air traffic control service Skeyes.
Aviapartner itself has a history of labor unrest. According to Wikipedia, the company faced a major 24-hour strike in 2011 after losing its handling license, and a six-day strike in October 2018 over working conditions and understaffing led to 960 flight cancellations affecting approximately 115,000 passengers. More recently, a spontaneous strike broke out in February 2024 over wage negotiations.
About Aviapartner
Aviapartner is a Belgian ground handling company founded in 1949, originally operating as Herfurth Air Services before becoming Belgavia and later rebranding as Aviapartner in 1999. Headquartered at Brussels Airport, the company provides ground handling services at 72 airports across Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and South Africa, employing approximately 6,000 staff.
What This Means for Travelers
The strike highlights a structural vulnerability at Brussels Airport, where only two ground handling companies operate — Aviapartner and Alyzia. This duopoly means passengers flying with airlines served by Aviapartner have no alternative handler when industrial action occurs. Belga News Agency reported that passengers on affected flights were advised to arrive at the airport on time and check their flight status regularly.
As the summer travel season intensifies, the recurrence of spontaneous strikes at Brussels Airport raises questions about the stability of labor relations in Belgium’s aviation sector. With unresolved tensions over wages and working conditions — tensions that have simmered since at least the major 2018 strike — passengers may face continued uncertainty in the weeks ahead. The Belgian aviation sector has seen multiple labor disputes in 2026 alone, reflecting broader pressures on workers across the industry.
What to Watch For
As of Monday afternoon, the duration of the strike remained unclear, with no comment from Aviapartner management or union representatives. Passengers booked on flights handled by Aviapartner in the coming days should monitor their airline’s communications closely. Whether this spontaneous action escalates into a longer dispute or is resolved through renewed negotiations will determine the extent of disruption for travelers during what is already a challenging start to the summer season.
Passengers wait in long queues at Brussels Airport following the spontaneous strike by Aviapartner ground handling staff. Credit: Belga Photo / John Thys