Glasgow tourists stranded as two major airports face 'near-total shutdown'
Both Brussels and Charleroi airports were forced to suspend all outbound flights today, June 25, due to industrial action led by airport security staff protesting against government budget cuts and staff shortages.
Estimates suggest the strike has grounded between 50 and 70 UK-bound flights, leaving between 9000 and 12,600 Brits stranded.
READ MORE: Check out these 13 iconic Scottish words just added to the dictionary
Glasgow Airport typically operates five to seven daily services—via codeshares or direct flights—to Brussels and Charleroi, all of which have been affected by the walkout.
Experts at AirAdvisor have warned that the scale of disruption is significantly larger than usual, coinciding with peak summer travel planning and causing widespread difficulties for passengers.
There are growing concerns about further disruption, with the possibility of more strikes throughout the peak summer months of July and August.
Trade unions have indicated they may call further action every four to six weeks if their demands remain unmet, which could see an impact on 10% to 15% of summer bookings to Belgium.
READ MORE: Oasis announce release of more tickets for reunion tour - Here's how to get yours
The ripple effect of grounded flights may extend across the region, with potential knock-on delays at major neighbouring airports including Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Frankfurt.
Experts have warned that delays are expected and advised that if passengers face delays of more than five hours, travellers are entitled to either a replacement flight or a full refund at no extra cost.
Airlines have already cancelled numerous services and are struggling to secure alternative flights for affected passengers.
Cancelled flight passengers should be offered the choice of rebooking or a refund if they opt not to travel.
The strike has also led to baggage handling delays due to a shortage of staff.
The extensive disruption means missed connections are likely throughout the region.
READ MORE: Oasis gives fans sneak peak at merch pop-up shops ahead of huge tour
AirAdvisor has issued advice for Glasgow passengers impacted by the strike:
Check flight status regularly via your airline's website or app.
Utilise flexible booking options under airline change policies or travel insurance, which may cover losses between £150 and £1,200.
Consider rerouting via alternative hubs such as Amsterdam (KLM) or Paris (Air France), though this may extend travel time by two to four hours.
Keep all receipts for expenses and avoid booking tight layovers in affected regions.
Check FCDO travel advice for updates on Belgium and monitor airline apps for real-time notifications.
Contact customer service directly for rebooking, as other communication channels may face 24-hour response delays.
Finally, AirAdvisor recommends that those planning trips to Belgium consider postponing travel until mid-July, when strike activity may subside.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
In the news today: Potential strike notice looms for Air Canada
Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed... Potential strike notice looms for Air Canada The union representing around 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants could signal its intent to strike if a deal isn't reached by the end of today. The earliest that flight attendants could potentially walk off the job is Saturday at 12:01 a.m. ET. Since the union must provide 72-hours notice if it plans to strike, that means it could declare its plans for a work stoppage by Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. ET. Air Canada said yesterday it "remains at the bargaining table and is focused on achieving a negotiated settlement" without any disruption to travel. Flights are continuing to operate as scheduled, but the airline says if there are disruptions, it will notify customers via email and text message in advance of their travel. Here's what else we're watching... Wildfires: More help from Armed Forces in N.L. More help from the Canadian Armed Forces is expected today in Newfoundland and Labrador to help fight wildfires. Premier John Hogan says the number of firefighters from the military will double to 80. As well, two water bombers from Ontario were scheduled to arrive on Monday to help with his province's battle against a string of stubborn wildfires. As of Monday there were eight active wildfires in the province — six in Newfoundland and two in Labrador. In New Brunswick, three wildfires were considered out of control on Monday, with residents north of Moncton told to prepare for evacuation. Vancouver Island camp evacuated over wildfire An out-of-control wildfire has forced the evacuation of a campground near the Vancouver Island city of Port Alberni, B.C. The BC Wildfire Service says the Mount Underwood blaze is more than six square kilometres in size. The wildfire has led to the evacuation of the China Creek Campground and Marina, located about 15 kilometres south of Port Alberni. The website for the campground and marina says it can accommodate 250 tent and RV campsites. There are currently 98 wildfires burning throughout British Columbia, nine of which are classified as out-of-control. Heat wave set to abate in most of Canada Sweltering heat is expected to continue in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces today, but relief is on the way for some. A multi-day heat wave should end today in southern British Columbia, where warnings covered most of Vancouver Island and stretched into the North Thompson and South Okanagan areas. Hot conditions will continue for a while longer in southern Ontario, stretching north past Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and east through southern Quebec. The weather agency says cooler temperatures are expected to sweep through the region this evening, providing relief from the 30 C temperatures and near 40 humidex values. In the Maritimes, similar temperatures are expected to remain through to Wednesday, while parts of Newfoundland will see similar conditions breaking on Thursday or Friday. Parti Québécois wins Quebec byelection The Parti Québécois sailed to a third-straight Quebec byelection win on Monday, cementing the sovereigntist party's momentum ahead of the 2026 provincial election and dealing a crushing blow to Premier François Legault's governing party. Former journalist Alex Boissonneault handily defeated Quebec Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime in the Arthabaska riding, flipping a seat that Legault's Coalition Avenir Quebec has held since 2012. While polls had suggested Boissonneault and Duhaime were neck-and-neck, the PQ candidate captured over 46 per cent of the vote, compared to just over 35 per cent for Duhaime. The sovereigntist party also won in Jean-Talon in 2023 and Terrebonne earlier this year. The party sits fourth in seat count in the province's legislature, but has been leading in the polls for the better part of two years. Boissonneault, who was born and grew up in the riding, campaigned on a promise to restore a "broken social contract" that sees Quebecers pay high taxes without getting enough in return. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2025. The Canadian Press
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Huge queues pictured at Glasgow Airport after 'issue'
Huge queues were pictured at Glasgow Airport on Friday morning after an issue was discovered at the security area. Images from inside the airport show people queuing in long lines waiting to go through security at around 5.30am. It came after staff at the busy transport hub were said to have found a minor IT issue with the X-ray machines during the early hours of the morning. (Image: Supplied) READ NEXT: A person travelling from the city to Belfast in Northern Ireland told the Glasgow Times they had to wait in the queues. They said: 'It was awful. People were queued right around past the elevator.' It is understood that the issue was quickly resolved within 30 minutes, and service returned to normal.
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Yahoo
New European sleeper train planned from Belgium to Slovakia
Trains travelling through the night at 100mph could connect Ostend in Belgium with the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, by next year. Leo Express, the Czech-based subsidiary of the Spanish national operator, Renfe, has filed plans for a sleeper train that would call at Brussels, Cologne, Hanover, Dresden, Prague and many more stations along the 750-mile route. Plans for the service, proposed to begin in December 2026, have been published by the Belgian Regulatory Body for Railway Transport. Leo Express says in its application: 'The planned connection involves new traffic that does not exist today.' The whole journey between the North Sea coast and the Danube is planned to take just over 19 hours, representing an average speed of 39mph. The overnight train would leave Ostend at 7.10pm, allowing UK travellers to connect at Brussels Midi (for an 8.19pm departure) after taking Eurostar from London St Pancras International. Arrival is scheduled for 2.18pm next day in Bratislava. The timing means the train can carry day passengers through the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The rolling stock would comprise refurbished carriages offering seats, couchettes (six bunks to a compartment) and proper beds. It will initially have capacity for 450 passengers Other appealing locations served by the train include Bruges and Ghent in Belgium, plus Aachen and Dresden in Germany. A total of 50 stops are planned. Read more: Inside luxury sleeper train the Britannic Explorer Overnight rail services went into steep decline as budget airlines expanded across Europe, but have had something of a resurgence. Austrian Railways (OBB) has reintroduced a wide range of routes, and in December 2023 the Berlin-Paris sleeper was restored. But rail experts have cast doubt on whether the Ostend-Bratislava project is feasible. Leo Express will need to gain permission and train paths from rail authorities in Belgium, France, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and compete against some extremely low air fares. In September, Ryanair flights are available from Brussels (South) to Bratislava for €18 (£16). The announcement has been covered by Thomas Wintle of the Rotterdam-based publication Rail Tech. He wrote: 'Night trains are popular in theory, but often expensive to run and logistically complex in practice. They face higher staffing and maintenance costs, tighter scheduling windows, and frequent cross-border disruptions. 'Recent construction works derailing sleepers travelling through Germany and France is a case in point. Despite strong public enthusiasm and EU policy backing, occupancy rates can also remain modest compared to daytime intercity services.' Nicky Gardner, co-author of Europe by Rail, said: 'Leo Express are talking about late 2026, but I just cannot see them getting paths through Germany at times they would like. Time will tell.' The new service would offer some competition to European Sleeper, a cooperative that is running night trains from Amsterdam via Brussels and Berlin to Prague. Leo Express later told Rail Tech: 'From our perspective, they do not represent concrete plans.' The company started up in 2010 as a Czech domestic train operator in competition with the state railway. Renfe, Spain's state rail operator, took a majority stake in 2021. Ostend was once the gateway to central and eastern Europe from the UK. Frequent ferries from English ports connected with international trains deep into the Continent. But all links ended when the 'Seacat' high-speed passenger ferry from Dover ceased two decades ago.
