Minister-President of the Flemish Government Matthias Diependaele has called on federal authorities to urgently address ongoing passport control delays at Brussels Airport, describing the situation as “unacceptable” as passengers continue to face long queues and missed flights.
According to Diependaele, waiting times of up to two hours and reports of travellers missing departures highlight the need for immediate action. With the busy Easter holiday period approaching, he has urged federal Interior Minister Bernard Quintin to implement an emergency plan to stabilise operations.
The Flemish Minister-President stressed the economic importance of Brussels Airport, calling it “a crucial gateway to Europe” and one of Flanders’ key economic drivers.
“In an international context where airports compete with each other, we cannot afford to fall behind,” Diependaele said, adding that a well-functioning airport is essential for both the economy and Belgium’s international position.
He also pointed to insufficient staffing within the federal police as a major contributing factor, warning that additional resources are urgently needed to ensure efficient and secure passenger processing.
A meeting on the situation reportedly took place on Thursday morning, with Quintin expected to provide further clarification in parliament later in the day.
The latest disruption is not an isolated incident. Brussels Airport has been facing repeated problems at border control in recent months.
Earlier, long queues were already reported following:
- Technical failures affecting automated e-gates
- Increased processing times linked to new EU border procedures
- Structural staffing shortages
In several cases, passengers experienced delays of up to three hours, with hundreds missing their flights.
Despite earlier commitments to improve capacity and streamline border procedures, the situation has continued to resurface.
The introduction of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES), designed to modernise border control through biometric checks, has added further pressure during its rollout phase, often slowing down passenger processing.