Latest news with #BrusselsAirport
Euronews
26-06-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Flights cancelled in Brussels amid strike over proposed pension reform
Transport services were severely disrupted in Belgium as general strikes took place nationwide over the proposed federal reforms and cuts to pensions. Departure flights in Brussels Airport, also known as Zaventem, were cancelled as security and airport personnel participated in the strikes. The country's main airport only received 103 incoming flights. 261 flights were originally set to land at the airport. Further south of the city, Charleroi, a major European hub for low cost airlines like Ryanair, preventively cancelled all its flights on Wednesday, citing a lack of staff. All flights were grounded for the day. 'Passengers scheduled to fly via Charleroi on 25 June will be contacted by their airline for a rebooking or refund. We regret the impact of this national strike on our passengers' travel plans and apologise for any inconvenience caused,' said Charleroi Airport in a statement on their website. 'I have to wake up at six. I have to come here. I have to wait. I don't know what is going on. It's the first time for me, that kind of situation. And I'm a little bit shocked, to be honest,' said a traveller. The coming days are expected to be extremely busy in Brussels' two airports as airlines scrambled to rebook passengers affected by the strikes on the next flights. Zaventem airport expects to process around 90,000 passengers per day for the coming few days. 'Tomorrow will be a lot busier than initially anticipated 12,000 extra passengers and also Friday we have 2,000 more passengers than initially anticipated. So it will be busy days at the airport, also with the holiday exodus so is especially important to get to the airport on time,' said Ihsane Chioua Lekhli, spokesperson for Brussels Airport. This is the fifth major strike to take place this year to oppose what protesters called unacceptable proposed reforms to the pension bill. The federal government had planned to scrap a special pension scheme and unify retirement age for all civil servants – to 66 – to make it in line with that of the private sector. The proposal has enraged many workers and trade unions, who concurrently organised several major protests around the country. 'I feel very bad that half-way through our career they are going to reform our pension and that we are going to have less pension. And that we're probably going to buy tanks and other things to wage war with that money instead,' said a protester with the Christian union. Flemish nationalist Bart De Wever was appointed prime minister in early February after months of coalition talks following Belgium's federal elections in June of last year. The government says pension reforms are needed as the rising life expectancy is causing costs to soar in a country already grappling with a large federal budget deficit which is in violation of European Union rules. Brussels, a NATO member, has also pledged to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, in line with the new NATO targets adopted on Wednesday in the summit in The Hague.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Europe's worst airport for queues named - with waiting times up to five hours
Holidays are supposed to be about switching off and relaxing, but unfortunately the airport might have other ideas. A new study has revealed the European airports where British tourists are most likely to face queues at passport control. According to The Telegraph, Brussels Airport is the hub where British tourists are most likely to hit chaos. Earlier this year, travellers reported having to wait in five-hour queues at passport control, with one passenger telling The Brussels Times: 'After a long flight, it's inhumane to expect us to stand for that long.' In a Tripadvisor review, one passenger, 'Beverly M', wrote: 'Awful experience - passport control is a shambles! So poorly organised - you shouldn't have to wait three hours to get through passport control and then try to look for your luggage. 'Sorry Belgium, but I won't be back in your country. The only good thing is that there are airport staff giving out bottles of water.' Another traveller, 'UOI', said: 'Huge bottleneck in Brussels Airport. The line for customs/immigration has taken one hour and 47 minutes and still counting!' But things could be looking up in Brussels ahead of the summer as Belgium's Interior Minister recently announced the country is introducing a 'summer plan' to reduce queues at border control. According to The Telegraph, Brussels Airport is the worst hub for chaos at passport control Bernard Quintin said that additional staff would be brought in to work on passport control, in good news for any Brits heading to Brussels this summer. The Telegraph reports that Paris is Europe's next worst offender for lengthy queues at passport control. Charles de Gaulle Airport has faced issues with a shortage of border guards which has led to chaotic queues at passport control. Problems are reportedly worse around major events such as last year's Paris Olympics and the 2023 Rugby World Cup. After Brussels and Paris, The Telegraph reports that Spain and Portugal's airports are often particularly bad for passport queues. As both European destinations are popular spots with British tourists, queues at the border have become much more chaotic since Brexit. In May, British travellers became trapped at an overcrowded passport control in Tenerife. The nightmare unfolded after several UK flights arrived in quick succession and caused severe delays. Passengers said people were 'visibly distressed' while one described the airport's conditions as 'inhumane'. Spanish authorities promised to increase the number of border guards at the airport after the incident so conditions may have improved ahead of the summer. And British tourists could fall foul of travel chaos before they've even left the UK. A new study has found that Southampton is the UK's worst airport for cancelling flights, with Belfast, London City, Aberdeen and Glasgow close behind.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ontario Teachers' fund sells out of the airport business — for now
The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, a longtime investor in airports overseas, has sold its interests in the last three of them: Birmingham Airport, Bristol and London City Airport, all in the United Kingdom. The buyer is Macquarie Asset Management, and the price was not disclosed by either party. Beginning in the early 2000s, Teachers' gobbled up airports as part of the fund's growing infrastructure portfolio, which was seen as an excellent source for steady returns and a hedge against inflation risk. The global COVID-19 pandemic was challenging, forcing many airports to take on more debt after the virtual halt in air travel in March 2020. Then came the sluggish return to pre-pandemic traffic over many months. The news came on the heels of another airport announcement by the pension fund giant — a pioneer among Canadian institutional investors in the sector — which on June 13 said it was selling its stake in Brussels Airport Co. NV/SA to a Flemish public investment firm. While there have been other international airport sales this year by Canadian pension funds, including the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec selling off the last of its stake in London's Heathrow Airport in February, interest has increased in the domestic sector as the Canadian government looks for ways to entice institutional investors — including the country's large pension funds — to invest more at home. Deb Orida, chief executive of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, said last week that her fund is looking to boost domestic investments and pointed to PSP Investments' expertise in airport infrastructure and operations through subsidiary AviAlliance, which purchased three airports this year in the United Kingdom: Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton. 'We have airport operating expertise, and capital to pair with that operating expertise,' Orida said. 'So, if the opportunity were to become available to invest in the Canadian airports, I think we would be very well positioned to do that and do it in a way that adds value not only to our pensioners, contributors and beneficiaries, but also to the users — the passengers of the airport.' Former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz looked at ways to increase Canadian institutional investment in the country's airports last year, when he was tapped to lead a task force charged with boosting domestic pension investments. In March, the federal government laid the groundwork with a new policy statement from Transport Canada that said pension funds can enter commercial subleases to invest in and develop airport lands with the not-for-profit airport authorities that operate 22 major facilities across the country, including Toronto's Pearson International Airport. The statement laid out other avenues for institutional investment as well, including through for-profit share capital subsidiaries created by the airport authorities, which would allow investment on airport lands for developments such as terminals, hotels and shopping centres. The structure of these subsidiaries would allow private investors to buy or be issued shares, so long as the airport authority maintains a controlling interest. A third avenue for investment would allow institutional investors to provide subcontracted services for certain aspects of airport operations. On Wednesday, a Teachers' spokesperson declined to say whether the $266.3-billion pension fund would be interested in airport investments in Canada despite selling off international stakes. '(It's) too early to speculate on where the proceeds will be allocated,' Dan Madge said. He characterized the rapid unloading of airports in Europe and the United Kingdom over the past few months as the culmination of a long, successful run in the sector. 'It was a very good outcome for the fund,' he said. 'Our first investment was in the early 2000s, so it has been a long investment period for us.' Teachers' first investment in U.K. airport infrastructure was in 2001, and it bought direct stakes in the airports in Birmingham in 2007 and Bristol in 2008. Eight years later, Teachers' boosted its U.K. presence with the purchase of a 25 per cent stake in London City Airport, a regional hub for business and vacation travel. Together, the three airports manage tens of millions of passengers annually. Over the years, the Canadian pension giant has also bought and sold stakes in airports in major cities in Australia and Denmark. After Teachers' acquired its stake in Bristol's airport, traffic increased by 72 per cent, with the airport serving more airlines and boasting the fastest recovery among major U.K. airports following the global pandemic. More than £300 million has been invested in the airport over the last decade. Passenger growth at Birmingham increased by 35 per cent to more than 13 million after Teachers' acquired its stake, and more than £425 million has been invested in expansion and modernization over the past 18 years. The expansion included an extension of the runway, the opening of a new pier, a new baggage system, and upgraded security and check-in areas, while multiple new flight routes were added, with some 30 airlines connecting travellers to more than 165 destinations. Meanwhile, more than £600 million was invested in London City Airport to accommodate larger aircraft and expand facilities, with projects including the U.K.'s first remote digital air traffic control tower. Teachers' said the airports under its ownership also played a central role in regional economic growth, collectively contributing more than £3.7 billion in 'gross value added' and 37,600 jobs. 'Each airport plays an important role in its region and, with all currently undergoing expansion (programs), will continue to grow and deliver for their passengers, communities and the broader economy,' said Charles Thomazi, Teachers' senior managing director and head of infrastructure in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Defence investments will be winners in Trump world: Teachers' CEO Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan says 1.9% return shows portfolio strategy is working 'We are confident that (the airports) will continue to flourish and are pleased to be passing the baton to new investors Macquarie as they support them in the next stage of their growth.' • Email: bshecter@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Sun
19-06-2025
- The Sun
Europe's worst airport for queues revealed with passengers waiting FIVE hours at security
WE ALL know the golden rule of flying - arrive at least three hours before an international flight. But sometimes, there's nothing you can do to beat the queues. Now, the world's worst airports for wait times have been revealed, and Brussels has reportedly left passengers standing in line for five hours. 4 4 The airport in the capital of Belgium is a hugely busy airport, sometimes seeing 70,000 passengers a day - resulting in particularly long wait times. The Telegraph has put together a list of the worst airports based on four- or five-star reviews for 'airport queueing time' on While Brussels actually landed in 14th place, it did get a 'special mention' for its incredibly long queues. There have been reports of lines that have left passengers waiting for five hours just to get through security alone. One passenger told the Brussels Times: 'After a long flight, it's inhumane to expect us to stand for that long." There has also been reports of long queues at passport control which has resulted in the Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (MR) promising to take action, according to Aviation Direct. The fact that Brussels is a huge airport welcoming lots of international flights could be a factor in its wait times. A lot of passengers are going through visa checks, which will take longer to complete. The airport is taking action to try and avoid queues, especially as it's set to get busy with summer traffic. On 'orange days' when increased passenger volume is expected, capacity will be increased by 30 per cent. Discover the Best of Brussels in 60 Seconds 4 On 'red days', when the highest passenger numbers are forecast, an increase of as much as 40 per cent is planned. Airports with the longest queues include Grenoble, Berlin, Hurghada, Belfast International and Venice Treviso. Two UK airports also made the list - London Stansted and Luton. London Luton has average recorded wait times of 42 minutes including security and passport control, while London Stansted is 41 minutes. The UK airport with the longest wait time was Birmingham, with the average wait time at security being 29 minutes. Standing at passport control will add an extra 18 minutes at the regional airport. One of Europe's busiest airports is getting a new £3.6bn terminal next year offering a 'glimpse into future of travel'. And a major UK airport's plans for millions more passengers ahead of £1.1bn expansion – with new flights to Europe this year. 4
Travel Daily News
10-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Brussels Airport: National strikes hit aviation disproportionately hard
Brussels Airport, Brussels Airlines, and TUI fly urge unions to avoid strikes disrupting air traffic, impacting 180,000 passengers and damaging industry trust. Brussels Airport, Brussels Airlines and TUI fly are expressing growing concern about the monthly national demonstrations that are systematically disrupting air traffic. From January to April this year, national union actions have impacted the airport every single month. As a result, a total of 180,000 passengers have been affected at Brussels Airport. These repeated actions, directed against the policies and measures of the federal government, are having a disproportionate impact on tens of thousands of passengers, airline staff and the aviation sector as a whole. Brussels Airport, Brussels Airlines and TUI fly are therefore calling on the unions to take a different approach, one that does not again hit passengers on June 25. Over the past few months, Brussels Airport and the airlines have already had to deal with the consequences of national industrial action on four occasions, while these actions were in response to the plans of the new federal government. The airport partners respect the right to strike but regret the enormous impact on passengers and the entire industry. Every national demonstration or strike results in tens of thousands of people affected by cancelled flights. The past four months with four days of action, 180,000 travelers have already been impacted. A flight cancellation has a profound impact on every passenger, whether they are traveling for vacation, to visit family, for work, or any other reason. Travel plans often involve hotel bookings, event reservations, and other arrangements. These 180,000 people have suffered significant inconvenience and financial consequences due to the strikes. Beyond the individual impact, the repeated disruptions also damage the reputation of the aviation industry, of our country and the airline companies. Despite their maximum efforts to provide solutions for their travelers, airlines are facing high costs and a significant additional workload. 'As an airport, it is a painful decision we have to make with the partners every time to cancel flights due to a strike. Our passengers count on their flights for very different reasons, and we have had to disappoint them too many times this year because of these actions. The strikes this year have already cost the Belgian economy 100 million euros. With each strike, a whole chain is affected, from the individual passenger to the airlines, from the export companies to the cargo processing, from the travel agencies to the Belgian hotels. Moreover, these many national union actions damage the reputation of our airport and our country in general, which is no longer tenable.' says Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport. 'The national demonstrations have already had a negative financial impact of 8 million euros, despite none of our employees being on strike. At airports, even a small number of strikers can disrupt operations and force a complete shutdown, severely impacting passengers and airlines. We work daily to serve our customers in the best way possible, but when operations are this heavily disrupted, we simply can't. Another national strike day is planned in June right at the start of the busy summer season. Given the many passengers flying that day, we estimate an additional financial burden of €4 million. This is money that we cannot invest in what really matters: our passengers, our people, and the future of our company. On top of that, there is the risk that passengers will avoid Brussels and move to airlines operating from other airports in neighboring countries. We urgently need alternative solutions to protect our shared future,' says Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Brussels Airlines. 'The ongoing national strikes and their impact on Brussels Airport undermine the travel comfort of our TUI passengers, who are forced to divert to other airports if they don't want to lose vacation days or need to return on their scheduled date. This often significantly extends their travel time and requires additional transfers. The many recent strikes are damaging trust in our national airport.' says Gunther Hofman, Managing Director of TUI Airline Belgium and the Netherlands. Choose alternative actions: don't let our passengers down again Brussels Airport, Brussels Airlines and TUI fly are therefore calling for the announced national action in June not to hit the passengers again. Of course, the right to strike and freedom of expression must be respected. However these actions, aimed at federal government policies, are disproportionately detrimental to passengers, to the many working employees who lose wages repeatedly, and to the broader economy. There are other ways to take action and engage in dialogue, without completely halting air traffic. After four days of disruption already this year, including a strike during the spring holidays for French-speaking schools, the planned date of June 25 is particularly sensitive. It falls just before the summer holidays in Flanders; and nearly 75,000 travelers are expected at the airport that day. These passengers are now living in uncertainty due to the announced national union action. Any future demonstrations in July, August, and September also risk severely impacting the airport and the sector once again, while the third quarter of the year is crucial for the aviation sector. The airport and airlines continue to make every effort to correctly inform passengers as early as possible and minimize disruption. But let it be clear: the current pattern is not sustainable for a sector that is the country's second-largest economic engine and supporting 64,000 direct and indirect jobs. Don't let our passengers down again.
