Belgium Faces Nationwide Disruption As Final Day Of Strike Hits Airports, Transport And Industry

Belgium entered nan 3rd and last time of coordinated business action connected Wednesday November 26 2025, bringing wide disruption crossed carrier networks, airports, and parts of nan backstage sector. The nationwide strike, organised by respective waste and acquisition unions, continues to impact residents, commuters and travellers – including galore expats and holidaymakers flying betwixt Belgium and Spain.

As pinch earlier onslaught days, nationalist carrier services stay constricted and airports are experiencing awesome operational challenges. All rider departures from Brussels Airport successful Zaventem person been cancelled today, due to important information from information and baggage-handling staff. More than 100 arriving flights person been cancelled, while 93 incoming services person been diverted to Maastricht Airport successful nan Netherlands.

Travellers are being urged not to spell to Brussels Airport, pinch airlines contacting passengers straight astir cancellations aliases changes.

Charleroi Airport successful Hainaut Province is besides facing awesome uncertainty. With staffing shortages expected passim nan day, airdrome authorities person warned they cannot guarantee whether scheduled arrivals and departures will run arsenic planned.

Rail services are moving astatine reduced capacity crossed Belgium. The authorities usability NMBS continues its 72-hour strike, which began connected Sunday November 23. Approximately 60% of Intercity services, 40% of suburban S trains and 40% of stopping (L) trains are operating. An adapted timetable is being updated successful nan way planner 24 hours successful advance.

Public carrier successful Brussels has been peculiarly limited. On Wednesday 26 morning, only 3 tram routes and 2 metro lines were functioning, while nary autobus services were running. In Flanders, De Lijn reports 55% to 65% of buses and trams are operating, though nan business varies by region. The usability urges customers to cheque its website aliases mobile app for real-time updates.

Factories, supermarkets and awesome roads besides impacted

The onslaught has extended acold beyond nan carrier sector, affecting supermarkets, factories and cardinal roadways. While astir supermarkets successful Flanders stay open, retailers pass of unit shortages and delays successful caller merchandise deliveries. Blockades astatine awesome distribution centres – including Delhaize’s tract successful Zellik – whitethorn worsen proviso issues passim nan day. In Brussels and Wallonia, nan anticipation of impermanent supermarket closures is higher.

Industrial areas person besides seen targeted action. Several entree roads to awesome sites person been partially blocked, including nan Scheldelaan successful nan Port of Antwerp and nan Kennedylaan successful Ghent. These blockades are occurring astatine regular intervals, pinch stoppages lasting betwixt 5 and 10 minutes each hour.

One of nan astir important workplace impacts has been observed astatine nan Volvo car assembly works successful Ghent. The factory, employing astir 6,500 workers, came to a standstill connected Wednesday greeting arsenic labor joined onslaught action. Picket lines stay successful place, and though immoderate unit person reported for duty, they person been assigned only attraction tasks. The accumulation statement is expected to stay halted until further notice.

Background: what has happened truthful acold successful nan three-day nationalist strike?

The ongoing onslaught is portion of a wider nationalist interprofessional action moving from Monday November 24 to Wednesday 26. Public-sector workers, carrier unit and private-sector labor person participated connected different days, starring to cumulative nationwide disruption.

Education unions person besides joined nan action. While nan afloat standard of schoolhouse closures remains unclear, astatine slightest 1 national committed to striking connected 1 aliases much days, pinch nan socialist national confirming walkouts for some Tuesday and Wednesday.

Prison unit person been striking since Monday evening, affecting operations connected Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 November. Meanwhile, constabulary unions person issued a three-day onslaught notice, though nan grade of disruption remains uncertain.

For expats successful Spain travelling to aliases from Belgium – aliases those pursuing events overseas – today’s last onslaught time remains nan astir disruptive, peculiarly for aerial travel. Anyone pinch upcoming flights is powerfully advised to show updates straight from their airline.