Belgium general strike: Flights grounded, Brussels transport paralyzed
A nationwide general strike led to the grounding of most planes at Belgium's two main airports and paralyzed public transport across Brussels.
All departures from Brussels International Airport and about half of those due to land were canceled after security staff responsible for X-ray baggage screenings went on strike. Charleroi Airport, Belgium's second-largest airport located 60km south of the capital, also cancelled all scheduled flights, according to data published on its website.
Thousands of protesters gathered at Brussels-North Station for a march through the city centre. Metro, bus, and tram services were almost completely suspended, the transport operator STIB said on social media platform X.
Local police said that road traffic in the capital was severely disrupted by fires started on several boulevards, and that arrests were made among the protesters.
The strike had been organised by the main Belgian trade unions. Over 100,000 people gathered in Brussels, while police reported approximately 80,000 participants, French-language newspaper Le Soir reported. The demonstration was against several measures, with the three main unions calling for better socio-economic conditions, including quality employment and fairer pensions. The three unions, alongside civil society organisations – 45 groups officially taking part – hailed the mobilisation’s success, the Romanian news outlet Observatornews reported.
In the days before the strike, Romania's Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory for Belgium, warning of disruptions to public transport.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
