Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa Group to charge for carry-on baggage
April 24, 2026
re ovelers do – you end up paying the same amount of even more than before
Aviation
New Terminal 3 at Frankfurt Airport officially opened
April 23, 2026
Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s largest, has opened a new, third terminal. The first flight from the new terminal is expected today. Terminal 3 will be able to handle up to 19 million passengers per year. The terminal features three new piers totaling 1,400 meters in length, at least 33 aircraft parking positions, 112 check-in counters, and […]
CAE pilot training center in Brussels faces closure
April 21, 2026
Canadian aviation training provider CAE plans to close its training center at Brussels Airport by the end of this year. This is reported by the business newspaper De Tijd. Due to declining demand, outdated simulators, and structural losses, 22 of the 27 jobs are at risk. CAE Brussels is the direct successor to the historic […]
Dubai opens the world’s first commercial airport for passenger drones
April 21, 2026
Is this the beginning of the air taxi era? In Dubai, the first international airport for eVTOL aircraft has been completed. But those eager to take their first drone flight will need to exercise some patience until the end of the year. In Dubai, construction of the world’s first commercial vertiport (vertical airport) is ready: […]
Is a worst-case scenario looming, with Europe running out of jet fuel within six weeks? (update)
April 20, 2026
KLM is canceling 160 flights to and from Schiphol over the coming month. SAS Scandinavia, meanwhile, is scrapping at least 1,000 flights from its schedule. These are just a few examples of European airlines already canceling flights due to higher costs and concerns about kerosene supply amid a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that […]
Another strike casts shadow over Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary
April 15, 2026
Just on the day Lufthansa is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its first flight, an event Chancellor Merz is set to attend, the airline is once again hit by a strike – the fifth major strike at Lufthansa this year. After hundreds of flights were canceled due to a pilots’ strike on Monday and Tuesday, […]
Brussels Airport Ombudsman Philippe Touwaide fired
April 14, 2026
What had been in the works for a while has now become official: Brussels Airport Ombudsman Philippe Touwaide has been fired. Touwaide had come under fire for his lack of neutrality and his personal conduct toward the airport’s top management. The dismissal comes as no surprise. The Federal Public Service Mobility has recommended Touwaide’s dismissal […]
IATA-boss warns rise in airfare prices is still inevitable
April 09, 2026
Higher airfare prices are inevitable. That’s what Willie Walsh, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said at a meeting in Singapore. Even after a cease-fire in Iran. According to Walsh, the aviation industry will likely continue to face disruptions in jet fuel supply for months to come, even if Iran does reopen the […]
TAP sale heats up: Air France-KLM vs Lufthansa, with IAG dropping out
April 06, 2026
Both Air France-KLM and Lufthansa have submitted bids to Parpublica, the Portuguese state holding company, for a minority stake in TAP Air Portugal. The Portuguese government intends to sell up to 49,9% of the shares, with a 5% tranche reserved for employees. The state formally retains control but has indicated its intention to sell the […]
Skydiving from an e-plane? For now, it remains Cerfontaine’s dream
April 02, 2026
The Société Wallone des Aéroports (SOWAER) has appointed a new manager for Cerfontaine airfield, located in the province of Namur. The new manager aims to make the site more environmentally friendly, in part by using an electric aircraft for the skydiving school operating there. However, it’s not that simple: Fully electric aircraft specifically designed for […]
Extra Belgian flights, grounded older jets: airlines’ summer dilemma
April 01, 2026
As demand rises, Brussels Airlines will operate additional flights during the summer vacation. It will therefore add approximately 170 extra round-trip flights within Europe, providing 60,000 additional seats. Lufthansa, the group to which Brussels Airlines belongs, is, on the other hand, exploring various scenarios to cope with rising kerosene prices driven by the war in […]
Passenger flights resume at Liège Airport
March 30, 2026
Starting in October, AirBaltic will operate passenger flights to the Canary Islands from Liège Airport. The regional airport had not had any passenger flights since the beginning of this year, following TUI fly’s departure. The flights are scheduled through the end of March 2027 and are now available for booking. Twice weekly The Latvian airline […]
Brussels Airport adds 8 new destinations and 5 new airlines
March 26, 2026
Travelers will be able to fly directly from Brussels Airport to 180 destinations this summer season, which starts on Sunday. Eight new destinations have been added compared to last summer. For the first time, there are even more direct flights to China than to the US. Since last Tuesday, Air China, one of the world’s largest […]
Airlines are trying to cut costs amid rising jet fuel prices
March 24, 2026
Rising jet fuel prices are taking a toll on airlines. For example, United Airlines is cancelling flights due to the drastic increase in fuel prices caused by the war in Iran. KLM, meanwhile, is temporarily halting new hires, limiting business travel, and suspending the hiring of external consultants. United Airlines is suspending approximately 5% of its […]
Air travel will more than double by 2050
March 18, 2026
By 2050, global demand for air travel will more than double, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Growth will be concentrated primarily in emerging markets, such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America, while demand will rise less sharply in Europe and the Americas. However, without a radical breakthrough in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) […]
IATA warns that airline tickets could become 9% more expensive
March 13, 2026
Airline tickets could rise by up to 9% due to rising oil prices resulting from the war in the Middle East. This was stated by Willie Walsh, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Military tensions in the Middle East have driven fuel prices to skyrocket, with kerosene more than 70% higher in just […]
ESA launches new low-orbit satellites to improve European GPS system
March 13, 2026
The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch a new series of satellites into space starting March 24. The goal is to create a new layer of low-flying satellites that will make the European navigation system more robust, secure, and resilient, including against external attacks. But precision and speed should also improve, which is important for drones […]
400 Million ’emergency oil barrels’ buy world another 20 days
March 12, 2026
The war in the Middle East continues to disrupt global energy markets and aviation. The announcement of a record release of 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves by the 32 members of the International Energy Agency (IEA), of which the US accounts for 172 million, does not seem to be calming the oil […]
Lufthansa pilots call for new strike
March 11, 2026
At Lufthansa, the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) pilots’ union is calling for a new 48-hour strike on Thursday and Friday. Hundreds of flights are at risk of being canceled due to the strike by more than 5,000 pilots, although destinations in the Middle East are expected to be unaffected. The main reason for the strike call is […]
IATA Safety Report 2025: one accident per 759,646 flights
March 10, 2026
The aviation industry delivered a solid safety performance last year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Although the number of accidents in commercial aviation fell compared to 2024, the number of fatalities rose to 394, compared to 244 in the previous year, mainly due to two spectacular accidents in India and the United […]
Brussels Airlines sees profits halved due to national union actions
March 09, 2026
Brussels Airlines has posted a profit for the third year in a row. Still, adjusted operating profit (EBIT) halved to 28 million euros, partly due to national union action that disrupted air traffic seven times, costing the airline 15 million euros, as well as drone sightings and a cyberattack on Brussels Airport. Another disruption is […]
Belgium plans military evacuation for citizens stranded in Gulf
March 04, 2026
Like most European countries, Belgium is also busy organizing the repatriation of Belgians stranded in the Middle East due to the military escalation in Iran. Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) is working closely with Minister of Defense Theo Francken (N-VA) to this end. There are currently almost 26,000 Belgians in the affected […]
Stranded by war: how Gulf escalation cripples global aviation
March 02, 2026
The recent American and Israeli attacks on Iran, followed by Iranian retaliatory attacks, are having a huge impact on international aviation. Due to the direct military threat and airspace closure, the three Arab hubs, Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), and Abu Dhabi (AUH), the world’s most important transfer hubs, have become virtually unusable for international air […]
High-speed ICE to link Cologne with Brussels Airport
February 27, 2026
From September 7th, there will be a new high-speed train connection between Antwerp and Cologne, with a stop at Brussels Airport. The new train connection, which will run twice a day in each direction and will also stop in Liège and Leuven in Belgium, will be launched by Deutsche Bahn. Brussels Airlines, among others, will […]
Airbus aims for take-off: 870 aircraft and record profits ahead
February 23, 2026
Airbus expects to deliver a record number of aircraft this year. In the title, the European aircraft manufacturer expects to deliver 870 commercial aircraft, significantly more than the 793 it delivered to customers in 2025. This would be a record – the current record dates from 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, with 863. Net profit […]
Historic net profit of €1.75 billion for Air France-KLM
February 20, 2026
Air France-KLM can close the 2025 financial year with a bang: last year, the group posted a historic net profit of 1,75 billion euros, a remarkable achievement after the horror years of the Covid-19 pandemic. The group’s recovery is mainly due to a strategic shift towards higher-end customers and an unexpected windfall, such as lower […]
Second Tintin aircraft for Brussels Airlines
February 13, 2026
As of today, Brussels Airlines has two Tintin aircraft in service, though this will be temporary. The airline is introducing a new themed aircraft based entirely on the characters from the famous comic series by artist Hergé. The first Tintin aircraft, which was also Brussels Airlines’ very first themed aircraft in 2015, will be removed […]
Lufthansa grounded: pilots and cabin crew strike across Germany
February 11, 2026
Lufthansa pilots and cabin crew will walk out tomorrow due to a wage dispute and working conditions. The strike will affect all Lufthansa flights and those operated by its cargo division, Lufthansa Cargo, departing from Germany. The exact extent of the cancellations is still unclear, but passengers should expect flight cancellations and delays in any […]
A temporary route that wasn’t: how RNP-07 came to roar over Brussels
February 10, 2026
The frequent use of a new flight path has meant that 450,000 Brussels residents in the municipalities of Koekelberg, Schaerbeek, and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean have been subjected to intensive overflights since the summer. The Mayors concerned had an initial, disappointing meeting on the issue with Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés). However, the latter has since […]
Ryanair suffers 80% drop in profits due to Italian fine
January 27, 2026
Irish budget airline Ryanair saw its profits fall by no less than 80% last quarter due to a fine of more than 255 million euros imposed by the Italian competition authority in December. Profit after tax amounted to 30 million euros in the three months to the end of December. A year earlier, profits stood […]
War on weight: how slimmer passengers could save airlines millions
January 22, 2026
A recent study by the American investment bank Jefferies estimates that the four largest American Airlines could save as much as 580 million dollars per year in fuel costs if passengers weighed less. The study approaches the weight issue from a surprising angle, namely the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on often controversial weight loss drugs […]
Musk and O’Leary at loggerheads as Tesla boss toys with buying Ryanair
January 21, 2026
There is currently a remarkable mudslinging match going on between Starlink and Tesla owner Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, and Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair. What began as a business discussion about Wi-Fi on board airplanes has escalated into personal insults and even a laconic threat from Musk to buy Ryanair. […]
Lufthansa Group tightens rules for fire-prone power banks on planes
January 15, 2026
The Lufthansa Group, including its subsidiary Brussels Airlines, is tightening the rules for power banks on board flights. For example, they may no longer be used to charge devices, and storing them in the overhead compartment above the seats is also prohibited. The tightening of the rules is due to an increase in fire incidents […]
Lufthansa Group partners with Starlink for Wi-Fi on all flights
January 14, 2026
The Lufthansa Group, which includes Brussels Airlines, will offer free, high-speed Wi-Fi on its approximately 850 aircraft starting in the second half of 2026. It will do so using the Starlink satellite network from SpaceX, the American space company owned by billionaire Elon Musk. The collaboration with Starlink applies to the entire Lufthansa Group, which also […]
Riding the jet stream: Lufthansa turns 100
January 07, 2026
Lufthansa, founded on January 6, 1926, as “Luft Hansa,” celebrates its 100th anniversary today. The history of the German airline is almost as turbulent as aviation itself. From a technological pioneer in the 1920s to an active role during the Nazi regime, Lufthansa grew into Europe’s largest airline group, at least in terms of revenue. […]
11% increase in long-haul flights for Brussels Airport
January 06, 2026
Brussels Airport has experienced substantial growth in the intercontinental segment over the past few years. According to the business newspaper L’Echo, the share of so-called ‘long-haul’ flights rose by more than 11%. This growth is the result of a deliberate strategy to strengthen Brussels as an international hub. From Africa to North and Latin America […]
Nearly 2,400 flights canceled at Brussels Airport in 2025
December 29, 2025
In 2025, 2,395 flights were canceled due to strikes at Brussels Airport. The seven-day national union action affected more than 330,000 travelers. According to the airport, these actions cost the Belgian economy approximately 175 million euros. Brussels Airlines says that these seven days of national union action “should not be repeated” in 2026. “We call […]
Belgium’s flight tax clash escalates as Ryanair warns of million-passenger cut
December 10, 2025
There has been a flood of reactions to Ryanair’s threats to reduce passenger numbers at Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi by 1 million. Is this a bluff, a negotiating tactic, or will the higher flight tax in Belgium indeed jeopardize Europe’s largest airline’s profit targets? Whichever way you look at it, the International Air […]
More than 5,000 Airbus A320s get major safety software update
December 01, 2025
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has issued a software update for its A320 Neo aircraft. This was prompted by a recent incident involving a JetBlue Airways Corp. aircraft. According to Airbus, this incident showed that intense sunlight can affect critical control data, potentially forcing the airplane into an unexpected dive. Initially, there was talk of a […]
Ryanair: ‘Belgium shoots itself in the foot with new tax on air travel’
November 27, 2025
According to Ryanair, Belgium is pricing itself out of the market now that the De Wever government has decided that the flight tax will be €10 for all flights from 2027, while other countries are reducing or completely scrapping their taxes. However, the Irish low-cost airline’s comment should be taken with a grain of salt. […]
Belgian air passenger tax to double from 2027 for flights over 500 km
November 25, 2025
From 2027, the air passenger tax in Belgium will increase for flights over 500 kilometers from €5 to €10 per departing passenger. This is the second time in this legislative period that the federal government will increase the tax on airline tickets. Brussels Airlines points out that it cannot pay the additional tax out of its […]
Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn rocket launched again, bound for Mars
November 14, 2025
Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ space company, has launched another New Glenn rocket. On board is a scientific mission to study the planet Mars. The New Glenn has only one flight under its belt. In January, the rocket successfully placed dozens of tons of equipment into orbit around the Earth on its maiden voyage. However, the landing […]
European airlines pledge to stop ‘greenwashing’
November 11, 2025
Twenty-one European airlines have committed to stop making claims in relation to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions deemed misleading, the European Commission said on Friday. The airlines include some of the largest in Europe, such as Lufthansa (parent company of Brussels Airlines), Ryanair, KLM, and Air France. In May, the Belgian Federal Public Service Economy’s economic inspectorate, […]
China’s Xpeng first to push flying cars into mass production
November 03, 2025
Chinese EV giant Xpeng has begun mass production of a ‘real flying car’ with the first flying body rolling of the assembly line. It’s the first time a major automaker, not a start-up, has crossed that line. Xpeng’s flying-car division, recently rebranded Aridge, announced this week that the first model rolled off the line at […]
Brussels Airlines will fly to Kilimanjaro, Lufthansa will cut in EU destinations
October 30, 2025
From June 3, Brussels Airlines will fly twice a week to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, as a stopover on flights to Nairobi, Kenya. Brussels Airlines specializes in flights to Africa. Next year, the airline will offer 18 destinations there. Parent company Lufthansa, on the other hand, will cut several European connections and domestic flights from its 2026 […]
Strike threat at Brussels Airlines after firing of crew with ‘bedbug fears’
October 22, 2025
The unions at Brussels Airlines are threatening to take action, such as a strike, following the dismissal of three flight attendants. The three refused to fly to Ghana after the cleaning crew reported pests on board, including fleas and bedbugs. According to Brussels Airlines, it was a false alarm. However, the action of the three […]
Pets are ‘baggage’ in aviation according to the European Court of Justice
October 17, 2025
A pet travelling on an airplane falls under the definition of ‘baggage’. The European Court of Justice has declared this. The declaration arose from a dispute between a Spanish airline and a passenger whose dog was lost during transportation. Whether animal welfare organizations will be happy with this legal ruling is another question. They consider […]
Without fresh Flemish millions Antwerp Airport faces bankruptcy
October 14, 2025
Despite millions in aid from Flanders and the federal government, totaling 13,5 million euros, Antwerp Airport’s financial situation is so dire that the so-called alarm bell procedure is in effect. This means that any creditor can ask the court to dissolve the company. Nevertheless, for Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA), who is […]
National strike on Oct 14 to disrupt transport and airports in Belgium
October 13, 2025
Tomorrow, Belgian trade unions will mobilize en masse against the Arizona government’s plans. They are hoping for a repeat of 2014, when 100,000 demonstrators turned up to protest, among other things, an index jump. The unions are particularly concerned about the government’s pension reforms, the planned expansion of flexi-jobs, and lower pay for night work. […]
Lufthansa CEO fears aviation sector will not achieve its 2050 climate targets
October 10, 2025
The head of Lufthansa does not believe the aviation sector will achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. CEO Carsten Spohr attributes this to the slow development of technology and the increased availability of more sustainable aircraft fuels. The Lufthansa Group has set itself ambitious climate protection goals. The company aims to achieve a neutral CO2 […]
Low well-being among aviation personnel puts pressure on safety
October 03, 2025
A new study funded by the European Commission and conducted by Ghent University on the working conditions of pilots and cabin crew at airlines in the EU reveals some alarming trends that are not necessarily encouraging for airline passengers. High workloads, fatigue, stress, and feelings of dehumanization are commonplace, and the pressure for efficiency and […]
Lufthansa to cut 4,000 administrative jobs mostly in Germany
September 29, 2025
Lufthansa plans to reduce its administrative workforce by approximately 4,000 by 2030. Most of the jobs will be lost in Germany. The jobs will become redundant because processes “will be digitized, automated, and consolidated,” says the German airline group. Brussels Airlines expects a “limited impact”. At the same time, the group also announced “the largest […]
Cyberattack on check-in and boarding systems hits European aviation
September 22, 2025
Several European airports, including Brussels Airport, Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, Dublin, and Cork, have been disrupted on Friday and in the weekend by a cyberattack on external service provider Collins Aerospace. Even though it’s been a few days, the fallout is still being felt. The attack affected the American aviation company, which supplies software for […]
Droneport to generate its own energy to fly electrically
September 22, 2025
Droneport in Sint-Truiden, a 30-hectare industry park specifically for aviation, drone, advanced air mobility, and unmanned flight testing, wants to build its own solar park on the nearby site and company buildings. The business park aims to generate its own energy to fly electrically. An agreement in principle has been reached to launch the solar […]
Two Xpeng ‘flying cars’ collide at air show in China
September 18, 2025
Two Xpeng AeroHT eVTOLs collided at an air show in Changchun, China, according to various Chinese and American media reports. At least one passenger was taken to the hospital with injuries, but these are not believed to be life-threatening. The cause of the accident is still unclear. There have been relatively few incidents involving eVTOLs, […]
Brussels Airport handled 3% more passengers during the summer holidays
September 16, 2025
During July and August, around 5 million passengers traveled through Brussels Airport. That is an increase of 3%. In August, the airport welcomed 2,5 million passengers, the same as in July. The number of arriving passengers was particularly high, 200,000 more than departing passengers. Due to the large number of local passengers, the share of […]
Greenpeace: flying in EU is ‘shockingly’ encouraged
August 21, 2025
The most polluting way to travel is almost always the cheapest. Or: Trains are often slightly cheaper than planes. It’s a matter of interpretation or wording, but these are two headlines about a new Greenpeace study on the fact that flying in Europe is cheaper than talking the train in more than half of all […]
Heathrow pushes ahead with controversial €24 billion third runaway
August 01, 2025
Heathrow Airport in London wants to expand for 49 billion pounds, or more than 56 billion euros. The plan includes the construction of a controversial third runway of 3,5 kilometers, which is expected to cost at least 24 billion euros. A new terminal will also have to be built, current facilities will have to be […]
Lufthansa profits double, Air France-KLM turnover quadruples
August 01, 2025
Lufthansa more than doubled its profits in the second quarter of this year despite recent trade tensions. “The Lufthansa Group remains on track,” says CEO Carsten Spohr, referring to the net profit of 1.2 billion euros. Air France-KLM also reported significantly higher profits in the past quarter compared to the same period a year earlier. […]