Brussels Airlines plans to restart flights to Israel, drawing criticism from trade unions.

Brussels Airlines plans to restart flights to Israel, drawing criticism from trade unions.

Brussels Airlines to Resume Israel Flights with Volunteer Staff Amid Union Strike Threat

A union strike threat at Brussels Airlines regarding Israel flights has arisen from baggage handling staff at Alyzia, a ground services company at Brussels Airport, demanding a halt to handling flights to Israel until the conflict in Gaza and the West Bank is resolved.

The unions want the right for their staff to refuse to handle baggage and cargo for Israeli flights without facing negative consequences and have warned of possible strikes or other industrial actions if staff are forced to participate in these services. In response, Brussels Airlines has announced it will resume flights to Tel Aviv but intends to operate them only with volunteer staff, seeking to avoid labor disputes for the moment.

The strike threat is primarily motivated by political solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to working on flights linked to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the West Bank. The industry response so far is cautious, with some airlines adjusting staffing to avoid direct confrontation with unions but facing potential disruptions.

Similar protests have been reported by airport staff in other European countries, signaling this could be a wider industry issue if the conflict persists. European ground staff from multiple airlines have announced they will not work in Israel as long as the conflict continues.

Niels Benoot of ACV Transcom, a Belgian trade union representing workers in the transport and logistics, has stated that they will stand by employees who refuse such work and may take action if it becomes mandatory. The ACV Puls trade union, representing Belgian aviation workers, has urged airport staff to refuse to service these flights, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Brussels Airlines prioritizes the safety and security of its passengers and continues to monitor the situation in the region. From August 1, 2025, Lufthansa Group will operate 44 weekly flights to and from Israel to Europe. Brussels Airlines will resume flights to Israel on August 13, 2025, and the flights will link Brussels with Tel Aviv, running twice a week.

Swiss is set to start operations to Israel from September 25, while Eurowings is not currently flying to Israel and has not announced when it will restart its services. Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines are already operating flights to Tel Aviv from Frankfurt, Munich, and Vienna.

Schedule changes may occur due to recent developments and actions, according to Brussels Airlines. The handlers from Alyzia are calling for flights to resume only after the "genocide in Gaza and the West Bank" has ended. Representatives from Alyzia have sent a letter to their management, urging the company to stop servicing Israeli airline El Al and other carriers.

This situation reflects broader politicization of labor in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and creates operational challenges for airlines and airport operators. The unions' opposition to the resumption of flights to Israel has been based on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The unions have drawn a comparison to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stating that all flights to Russia were immediately cancelled when the invasion occurred.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/brussels-airlines-staff-refuse-handle-israeli-cargo-amid-gaza-conflict-2021-05-18/ [2] https://www.jta.org/2021/05/19/news-opinion/israel-world/brussels-airlines-staff-refuse-to-handle-israeli-cargo-amid-gaza-conflict [3] https://www.timesofisrael.com/brussels-airlines-staff-refuse-to-handle-israeli-cargo-amid-gaza-conflict/ [4] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/18/brussels-airlines-staff-refuse-to-handle-israeli-cargo-amid-gaza-conflict [5] https://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/brussels-airlines-les-manifestants-appellent-a-une-grève-contre-les-vols-vers-israel_6075374

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