Travel chaos in Belgium as flights and trains cancelled due to nationwide strike
At one Brussels airport, all departures are cancelled after noon as “safety can not be assured”
Journey in Belgium is severely affected right now (13 January) by a nationwide strike.
Brussels Airport says they anticipated a “main impression” on flights and native, regional and worldwide trains are additionally affected.
Public transport can also be majorly affected and many colleges are closed, with tens of hundreds of lecturers anticipated to attend a rally in Brussels.
The strike was known as over attainable pension reforms that are being mentioned by events making an attempt to kind a brand new authorities following Belgium’s June 2024 election.
Brussels airport: Are flights operating?
In line with a spokesperson for Brussels worldwide airport, 40 per cent of flights are cancelled right now. Delays to flights which are operating are probably.
Cancellations taking place all through the day and night.
Arrivals at Brussels airport are much less affected than departures however there are nonetheless many cancellations.
Keep in mind that providers throughout the airport, akin to baggage and immigration, are more likely to be slower than common resulting from workers shortages.
What’s the recommendation to passengers at Brussels airport?
Brussels airport mentioned in a press release: “Passengers of affected flights can be knowledgeable by their airline or (on-line) journey company”
You’ll be able to test the standing of your flight through the Brussels airport web site or your airline’s web site, app or social media channels.
Brussels South Charleroi Airport: All flights cancelled
Brussels South Charleroi Airport, which is utilized by funds airways like Ryanair, has no flights departing after 12pm right now.
In a press release the airport mentioned: “Following the nationwide demonstration deliberate for right now in Brussels, Charleroi airport is dealing with a serious unexpected scarcity of workers from the exterior safety supplier.
Safety can not be assured. Consequently, all flights departing from Charleroi airport after 12pm have been cancelled till the top of the day. Arrivals are scheduled as regular.”
Charleroi airport’s recommendation to passengers is to “contact their airline”.
Belgium strikes: Are trains cancelled?
Many workers who work on the trains and at stations are on strike there native and regional trains are severely affected, with many cancellations.
For native and regiunal trains, you’ll find full particulars of which providers are and are not operating from nationwide prepare operator SNCB right here.
For worldwide trains to and from Belgium:
- Eurostar, TGV INOUI, ICE and OUIGO Brussels-Paris: all trains can be operating as scheduled.
- Eurocity Direct (Brussels-Amsterdam): in each instructions, 14 trains out of 16 can be operating.
- EuroCity (Brussels-Rotterdam): 10 trains out of 16 can be operating from Brussels to Rotterdam / 9 trains out of 16 can be operating again from Rotterdam to Brussels.
- Nightjet : The prepare to Vienna and Berlin on Monday 13/01 will depart from Cologne. Between Cologne and Brussels/Liège, passengers can use ICE trains.
- Regional cross-border trains: 30 per cent of trains operating on the Liège-Maastricht and Arlon-Luxembourg providers, 25% operating on the Charleroi-Maubeuge service. No trains on the Kortrijk-Lille, Tournai-Lille, Antwerp-Roosendaal, Liège-Aachen and Liège-Luxembourg providers.
Full particulars on worldwide trains and claiming a refund for cancelled providers might be discovered right here.
Are passengers entitled to compensation resulting from a strike?
Beneath EU regulation, if a flight is cancelled, the airline has to supply your a refund or another flights.
In case your flight is delayed, it’s possible you’ll be entitled to refunds for unplanned bills, akin to meals and lodging.
Contact your airline or journey agent to say your refunds, although beware it may well take months in your cash to reach.
In line with EU regulation, rail passengers throughout the bloc are additionally entitled to compensation.
In case your prepare is delayed however you select to journey anyway, you should still be eligible for a partial or full refund. This often is determined by how late your prepare arrives at its vacation spot.
In case your prepare is delayed by greater than 60 minutes, you may select to not journey and can obtain a full refund in your ticket.
Alternatively, you may select to journey at a later date.
SNCB has full particulars on how you can declare a refund right here.
