Court of Appeal rejects Flemish objection to Brussels Airport’s new take-off procedures

The Brussels Court of Appeal has rejected an environmental objection raised by the Flemish region and local municipalities against the new take-off procedures at Brussels Airport, implemented in October 2023. The procedures involve a satellite-guided navigation system, replacing the traditional fixed-point navigation.

Flanders had contested the changes, arguing that they shifted noise and environmental disruption from Brussels to Flemish municipalities such as Grimbergen, Meise, and Wemmel, particularly with routes affecting the Brussels ring road during night-time flights.

Although initially upheld by the Brussels Court of First Instance in February, the appeal court ruled that no evidence was presented proving that the new procedures caused additional health or noise concerns.