Travellers across Belgium are bracing for a week of transport chaos as major unions prepare for a sweeping strike in protest of government austerity measures. Beginning late Sunday, November 23, 2025, and culminating in a nationwide walkout on Wednesday, November 26, the action is expected to bring airports, train stations, and city streets to a near standstill. Both local and international travelers are being warned to expect cancellations, delays, and significant hurdles as the country’s transport infrastructure grinds to a halt.
Brussels South Charleroi Airport, one of the country’s busiest gateways, has sounded the alarm for what it calls "major disruption" on Wednesday, November 26. In an official statement, the airport said, "Due to the union strike and the shortage of personnel needed to guarantee safety, flights—both departures and arrivals—cannot be guaranteed on Wednesday." The airport emphasized the impossibility of ensuring normal activities, citing a lack of essential staff to operate safely. The warning is clear: passengers should not count on any flights operating from Charleroi on the day of the walkout.
The disruption at Charleroi is just one piece of a much larger, country-wide action. According to The Independent, transport unions have coordinated a series of strikes that will cascade through Belgium’s rail, bus, tram, and air networks. The trouble starts at 10pm on Sunday, November 23, when rail workers begin a 72-hour strike. This means that from late Sunday until the final train on Wednesday night, only a skeleton service will operate on Belgian Railways. Passengers are being told that details of which trains will run are likely to be published just 24 hours in advance, leaving little time for alternative planning.
Local transport in Brussels is also set to be heavily affected. The city’s main transit organization, Stib, has told riders, "We expect major disruptions on our network on Monday 24, Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 November due to a three-day national strike against the measures taken by the federal government." Stib says it will try to maintain at least a partial service and keep travellers updated in real time, but is also urging everyone who can to seek alternative ways to get around. The message is blunt: expect delays, cancellations, and a lot of uncertainty.
The impact won’t be limited to Brussels. De Lijn, which operates trams and buses across Flanders—including in cities like Bruges and Ghent—has warned, "There will be fewer bus and tram services throughout Flanders during the three days of action." As with the trains, information about which services will actually run is expected to be released only about 36 hours ahead of time.
Wednesday, November 26, is shaping up to be the focal point of the strike, with nearly all modes of transport grinding to a halt. At Brussels Airport, all departing passenger flights have already been cancelled for the day, affecting more than 200 services, according to The Brussels Times. The airport has told passengers, "We unfortunately expect major disruptions to our airport operations on that day." Almost all arrivals are also likely to be grounded, and airlines, including British Airways, have already pulled flights connecting London Heathrow and Brussels for the day.
Charleroi Airport, meanwhile, is warning that even getting to the airport will be a challenge from Monday through Wednesday. Unions have planned a three-day mobilisation campaign, which is expected to bring roadblocks, limited public transport, and severe delays. The airport advises, "Take your precautions to avoid delays," and notes that airlines will contact affected travellers directly to arrange rebooking or refunds.
This week’s actions mark the seventh major union strike in Belgium this year, underscoring the deepening frustration among workers over the federal government’s policies. The strikes are targeted primarily at austerity measures and what unions describe as a fundamental restructuring of Belgium’s social model. Marie Helene Ska, general secretary of the Belgian trade union confederation ACV-CSC, defended the walkouts, saying, "This escalating strike strategy is necessary. The alternative – allowing the austerity measures to proceed unchallenged – would mean accepting a fundamental restructuring of Belgium’s social model, transforming it from one of Europe’s more protective welfare states into something far more precarious for working people."
The government’s proposed changes include budget cuts and an increase in the retirement age for rail workers, among other measures. Unions argue that these policies threaten the country’s long-standing commitment to worker protections and social welfare, and they have vowed to continue their fight well into the new year. In fact, further rail strikes are already being planned for early 2026, suggesting that the current unrest may be just the beginning.
For those hoping to travel to, from, or within Belgium during this period, the advice is nearly universal: make alternative plans, stay updated via official channels, and expect last-minute changes. Both airports and transit authorities are promising to keep passengers informed, but with so many moving parts and so much uncertainty, flexibility will be key. Airlines have committed to contacting affected passengers directly to arrange either rebooking or refunds, but with such a large-scale disruption, delays in processing are almost inevitable.
While the strikes are causing headaches for travelers and businesses alike, union leaders insist that their actions are about more than just workplace grievances. They argue that the protests are a stand against a broader shift in Belgian society—a move away from the social safety net that has long defined the country and toward a model they see as less secure for ordinary workers. Whether or not the strikes succeed in changing the government’s course remains to be seen, but for now, the message from Belgium’s unions is loud and clear: they are prepared to fight for their vision of the country’s future, even if it means bringing travel to a halt.
As the week unfolds, all eyes will be on Belgium’s transport hubs, where the effects of the strike will be felt most acutely. For travelers caught in the middle, patience—and a good backup plan—will be essential. With further industrial action already on the horizon, Belgium’s transport woes may not be over any time soon.
