Snow forces 40 flight cancellations at Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport cancelled 40 flights on Wednesday as winter weather disrupted operations. The cancellations affected an equal number of departures and arrivals, with 20 outbound and 20 inbound flights grounded.

Freezing temperatures returned to Belgium on January 5, prompting Brussels Airport to activate its full de-icing operations. While turnaround times increased by approximately 30 to 45 minutes, only a limited number of flights were affected, and large-scale cancellations were avoided, according to airport spokesperson Jeffrey Franssens.

In contrast to neighbouring hubs such as Amsterdam Schiphol—where hundreds of flights were cancelled—and Paris, which also faced significant disruption, Brussels Airport maintained operations thanks to sufficient glycol reserves and preventive runway treatments carried out overnight. Flights continued to depart, albeit with delays, and airlines advised passengers, particularly business and connecting travellers, to arrive earlier than usual.

The delays raised concerns mainly around missed connections, especially on transatlantic and intra-Schengen routes. Mobility managers were also advised to be mindful of potential implications for non-EU travellers nearing the end of their 90-day Schengen allowance, as weather-related delays may need to be documented if questioned by authorities.

Cargo operations experienced minor slot delays, though logistics providers warned that a prolonged cold spell could lead to temporary freight diversions to alternative airports such as Liège or Cologne.

Meteorological services expect sub-zero temperatures to persist until January 7, with Belgium remaining under a yellow weather alert for snow and ice. Several airlines have introduced flexible rebooking policies for flights departing Belgium during the affected period.

Looking ahead, Brussels Airport plans to review its winter resilience measures, including glycol stock management and the potential installation of additional heated aircraft stands, in discussions with the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority later this winter.