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Brussels Airlines
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- SN/BEL
- Airline Type:
- Full Service Carrier
- Hub(s):
- Brussels Airport
- Year Founded:
- 2006
- Alliance:
- Star Alliance
- Airline Group:
- Lufthansa Group
- CEO:
- Dorothea von Boxberg
- Country:
- Belgium
- Region:
- Europe
- Loyalty Program:
- Miles & More
As the result of a three-day crew and pilot strike at Brussels Airlines, the carrier has had to cancel over 300 flights from June 23 to 25. To be precise, the number of canceled flights at the moment has reached 315, which includes 38 long-haul services. This will impact as many as 40,000 travelers. Brussels Airlines says it is doing everything it can to get passengers booked on alternate flights, both within and outside the Lufthansa Group.
Originally, the airline had 533 flights, including charters, scheduled over the three-day period. It intends to operate 40% of the scheduled services, however, this may change depending on strike participation from employees. Maaike Andries, Spokesperson for Brussels Airlines, commented on the strike,
“We regret that the talks with our social partners have not led to an agreement for our cockpit and cabin crew departments. In the past weeks and months we have taken a series of initiatives to relieve the work pressure for our operational departments in this exceptional summer. Amongst others, we have taken out 148 flights to ease the operations. We recruited 225 additional cabin crew members and we have adapted flight duties as a response to the requests from our staff about the heavy workload."
In order to mitigate some damage, Brussels Airlines is getting creative with fleet utilization. To cover the need of four flights to Nice and six flights to Rome, the carrier will operate three widebody Airbus A330 aircraft rather than the single-aisle jets that usually traverse the routes.
Airline says it cannot reopen collective labor agreements
The strike was called a week ago by crew who say they are burdened with heavy workloads and worsening work conditions, stemming from the worsening situation of the dramatic increase in number of travelers over the summer season. They are calling for the airline's management to reduce work pressure and index a budget for extra-legal benefits. Andries continued,
"As we were loss making in 2020, in 2021 and still as well in Quarter 1, 2022, our financial situation does not allow us to reverse or reopen the current CLAs, which were signed as part of our agreement with the Belgian Government by all our social partners in 2020 to guarantee a future for our company."
More strikes ahead for European summer
Strikes are not exactly new in the airline industry, and always come with major headaches for carriers (which, of course, is the point) and passengers. However, with the European aviation environment buckling under the weight of staff shortages following the pandemic, strikes at a time like this may be particularly difficult to manage.
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While Ryanair's British pilots have accepted a pay deal and as such averted a strike in the country, the carrier's crew elsewhere across Europe is still set to go on a similar three-day strike to that of Brussels Airlines' employees. It is meant to begin tomorrow, Friday, June 24, and last until Sunday, June 26.
This will likely result in numerous flight cancellations, and travel across Europe over the peak of the holiday season shows no signs of becoming less uncertain. easyJet crew from three Spanish bases have also warned they could go on strike next month. Oh well, at least we can travel again.