TUI to Halt All Flights from Antwerp Airport by Spring 2027

TUI Fly has announced it will cease all flights from Antwerp Airport (Deurne) by the end of March 2027, dealing a severe blow to the regional airport’s already fragile finances and raising existential questions about its long-term future. The German parent company made the decision on Monday evening, with TUI set to concentrate its Belgian operations on Brussels Airport and Ostend Airport instead.

A Decade of Operations Comes to an End

TUI has been operating from Antwerp Airport since 2015, serving as the last major commercial airline at the facility. The final flights are scheduled for March 24, 2027 (Alicante) and March 25, 2027 (Malaga), bringing an end to a decade of holiday travel from the airport. According to VRT NWS, the decision was driven by operational constraints rather than political factors.

TUI explicitly stated that the Flemish government’s plans to reduce subsidies for regional airports played no role in the decision. The core issue is runway length: Antwerp’s runway can only accommodate smaller Embraer E195-E2 aircraft with 112 seats, while Brussels and Ostend can handle larger Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX aircraft with 189 seats. The company cited operational efficiency and fleet flexibility as the primary reasons for the move.

Financial Fallout for the Airport

The departure represents a devastating financial blow to Antwerp Airport. Aviation economist Wouter Dewulf of the University of Antwerp told HLN that the airport has an annual turnover of approximately €10 million, half of which comes from government subsidies. Of the airport’s own revenue, two-thirds came from TUI Fly. “That is a very fragile situation,” Dewulf said.

The airport has been in severe financial distress for years, with accumulated losses reaching €2.3 million and total debt standing at €10 million. The airport operator fell under the “alarm bell procedure” last year, where creditors can request dissolution. Despite handling 240,541 passengers in 2025 — a 15% increase from the previous year — the facility remains far below its capacity of 400,000 passengers per year.

What Remains at Deurne

With TUI’s departure, Antwerp Airport loses its last major commercial airline. Only SkyAlps remains with weekly scheduled flights to Bolzano, Italy, while ASL Group offers private jet services to Ibiza and Sion. The airport has been increasingly shifting toward private aviation, with private jet traffic tripling in recent years to destinations including Cannes, Nice, and Ibiza. SkyWings flight school also operates from the airport for pilot training.

Nathan De Valck, CEO of Antwerp Airport, expressed regret at the decision but struck a forward-looking tone: “We regret TUI’s decision and continue to build our future with potential new airlines.”

Political and Environmental Reactions

The timing of TUI’s withdrawal is particularly sensitive for the Flemish government, which is in the midst of deciding on future subsidy frameworks for regional airports. Flemish Minister for Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA) declined to comment, noting that the dossier will first be discussed within the Flemish government.

Local activist groups Vliegerplein and Doe Deurne Dicht described the announcement as “the prolonged swan song of a completely unnecessary airfield.” Groen (Green Party) parliament member Bogdan Vanden Berghe called on the Flemish government to definitively end millions in subsidies, arguing that without TUI, only “instruction flights and private jets in a densely populated area” would remain.

What’s Next for Antwerp Airport?

The departure of TUI leaves Antwerp Airport at a critical crossroads. The Flemish government’s coalition — comprising N-VA, CD&V, and Vooruit — is divided on the issue of regional airport subsidies. N-VA has historically defended the subsidies, while CD&V and Vooruit have grown increasingly critical.

Without a major commercial carrier, the airport’s justification for continued public subsidies becomes much harder to defend. The noise pollution from TUI’s Embraer aircraft will disappear within months, but private jet traffic may continue, potentially intensifying opposition from local residents and environmental groups. The coming months will determine whether Antwerp Airport can attract new airlines or whether it will transition fully to general aviation — and whether the Flemish government is willing to continue supporting it.