Brussels Airport Ombudsman issues the split between day and night flights in 2020 at the airport

The Belgian Federal Government’s Mediation Service for Brussels-National Airport presents the official traffic figures at Brussels-National for the year 2020; this data comes from the autonomous public company in charge of air traffic control in Belgium and is therefore indisputable.

There were 95,812 aircraft movements in 2020. This is the same level as in 1971 and a decrease of 59.14% compared to the 234,461 aircraft movements in 2019.

a) TOTAL NUMBER OF DAY-ONLY FLIGHTS IN 2020 – BRUSSELS-NATIONAL

84,680 daytime aircraft movements in 2020 = a decrease of 61.00% compared to 217,114 daytime flights in 2019

b) TOTAL NUMBER OF NIGHT-ONLY FLIGHTS IN 2020 – BRUSSELS-NATIONAL

11,132 night aircraft movements in 2020 = same number as in 1982 = a decrease of 36.31% compared to 17,479 night flights in 2019

The number of night flights is limited to an annual maximum of 16,000 night slots and has therefore been respected for once in 2020.

The Federal Government’s Mediation Service for Brussels-National Airport systematically verifies compliance with the legislation on noise levels and the types of aircraft allowed at night at Brussels-National and has reported to the Federal Authority (the Directorate General of Air Transport) the following facts which are clearly infringements:

• 174 night take-offs of a Boeing 777 Freighter from the cargo company AEROLOGIC when this aircraft is prohibited from night flight at Brussels-National because it has an individual noise level of 10.7, above the maximum authorised limit at night which is 8.0; these facts were transmitted to the Parquet of Halle-Vilvoorde
• night take-offs of 74 other aeroplanes banned from night flights, mainly Airbus A330-200 and -300 series, Boeing 747-400, MD-11 and Boeing 767-400 whose noise levels are above the maximum authorised limit at night which is 8.0

The Federal Government’s Mediation Service for Brussels-National Airport and the slots coordinator also reported to the competent Federal Authority 391 cases of flights operated during the night (261 arrivals + 130 departures) and not having a night slot. This does not constitute an infringement. It is up to the competent authority of the Directorate General of Air Transport of the FPS Mobility and Transport to judge whether these cases constitute a potential infringement, i.e. a repeated and intentional action.

Data on the number of passengers and the volume of cargo are not under the responsibility of the Mediation service but under that of Brussels Airport Company.

Here are the summary tables