Brussels Airlines technicians’ 24-hour strike; minimal impact on operations

A 24-hour strike that has been initiated by the unions representing the Brussels Airlines technicians has currently no impact on the airline’s flight schedules, Aviation24.be could retrieve from the Brussels Airport website. 

The strike started yesterday at 17:00 (UTC +1) and will last until this evening (24 January). Next to an improved salary, the maintenance and engineering employees demand more staff and extra spare parts to be able to do a better job.

While the impact of the strike is currently low, a daily maintenance check on aircraft is mandatory. Operations might be affected later on today.

“We are aware of the areas for improvement for our colleagues in Maintenance and Engineering. The management of Brussels Airlines continues to engage in discussions with colleagues and unions to find solutions, just as we do with other departments within the organization,” spokesperson Joëlle Neeb explains to Aviation24.be, adding that Brussels Airlines initiated an official reconciliation process on January 2nd, with the agreement to return to the reconciliation board by February 16th with feedback on progress.

Neeb adds: “We deeply regret that the decision was made to proceed with actions without waiting for the various meetings. The operational impact is currently limited to a few delays in our long-haul flights. We remain confident that, together and at the table, we will find balanced short- and long-term solutions that provide perspective and growth opportunities for our company and our people, while keeping our costs under control in a highly competitive market.”

Brussels Airlines continues to face mounting tension as not only technicians express their dissatisfaction but also cabin crew and pilots. On 13 January, Brussels Airlines was forced to cancel two-thirds of its flights after a 24-hour pilot strike.

UPDATE 14:14

Joëlle Neeb confirmed that everyone returned to work at 14:00 this afternoon.
The impact has therefore been limited to delays for 2 of Brussels Airlines’ long-haul flights.