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 already on the way, with a new national strike announced for March 12.

As a result, the airline posted a profit (before tax) of €3 per passenger, compared to €7 in 2024. “We had expected much more growth, but this did not materialize,” said Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Brussels Airlines, about the “disappointing” results for 2025, although she is also looking ahead: “Operational reliability is the main concern this year.”

Problems with long-haul fleet aircraft

In 2025, Brussels Airlines operated more than 68,500 flights, 11% more than the previous year. The number of passengers rose almost as sharply (+10%) to over 9,1 million. Revenue was up 7% to 1,6 billion euros, but due to “various headwinds,” as listed above, profits were half those of 2024.

In addition, several operational incidents impacted the long-haul fleet. Several aircraft were sometimes grounded for longer than planned due to scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, or problems with engines and spare parts.

These ultimately cost 19 million euros, partly because the airline leased a long-haul aircraft externally to counter the problems.

Another major expense was “irregularity costs”. These are the expenses Brussels Airlines must insure against in the event of cancellations and delays to compensate passengers, rebook them, offer them overnight accommodation, etc. Last year, these amounted to 41 million euros, or an average of €4,5 per passenger.

A profit margin of 8% is needed

“Despite some major setbacks, Brussels Airlines was profitable in 2025”, says CEO Von Boxberg. “This shows that Brussels Airlines is stable and can withstand a few knocks. But we have higher ambitions: we need funds to invest in fleet renewal, product improvements, and Belgium’s connectivity.”

Brussels Airlines has repeatedly stated that an operating profit margin of 8% is needed to finance these investments. However, that profit margin fell to 1,7% last year, compared to 3,8% in 2024.

“2025 was clearly a step backwards”, said CFO Nina Öwerdieck. “However, the goal remains unchanged, and we will do everything we can to get back on track in 2026.”

Various targeted initiatives have been rolled out to strengthen the resilience of financial and operational results, such as an “improvement plan” to prevent delays and cancellations.

Flying more punctually

“We must ensure that we fly reliably and punctually,” says Von Boxberg. This means paying extra attention to the first flight of the day, for example.

“If we can get that one off on time, we have a much better chance of the rest of the day running smoothly, too,” says the CEO. In addition, issues such as aircraft loading, passenger boarding, and aircraft maintenance are being examined on order to reduce delays in those processes.

Brussels Airlines will also take delivery of a 7th and 8th Airbus A320neo for its short- and medium-haul fleet this year. In June, the new long-haul destination, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, will launch. And the airline’s first aircraft will be equipped with Wi-Fi this year.

Unfair competition with Charleroi

At the same time, Brussels Airlines is once again complaining about the uneven playing field with Charleroi Airport, also known as Brussels South. “A passenger who wants to fly from Brussels Airport pays €34 more in costs than at Charleroi Airport.”

The difference relates to various costs, such as airport tax, security costs, and the terminal navigation charge. The latter is the amount that air traffic controllers at Skeyes receive per departing aircraft. At Brussels Airport, airlines must pay part of that amount, while at Charleroi, the government covers the entire amount. This puts Brussels Airlines at a disadvantage compared to Ryanair, the largest player at Charleroi.

“We want the same rules for the same airports,” says Von Boxberg. She believes that the explanation that Charleroi receives subsidies because it is a regional airport no longer holds water. “With more than 10 million passengers, Charleroi is no longer a regional airport.”

Whether Brussels Airport pays too much or airlines in Charleroi pay too little is not the main issue for Von Boxberg. “There must be a level playing field; that is the issue.” In that respect, Brussels Airlines is not entirely dissatisfied with the announced increase in the federal flight tax, because it “will be the same for all passengers and therefore makes it a little fairer.”

This dissatisfaction with the situation in Charleroi is not new. In 2023, Brussels Airlines filed an official complaint with the European Commission against the “illegal state aid” that Charleroi Airport receives. The company says it has not yet received a response.

Record revenue of €39,6 billion for Lufthansa

Parent company Lufthansa, which also includes airlines such as Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Eurowings, also announced its annual results. The group achieved record revenue of 39,6 billion euros (+5%). Adjusted EBIT rose by a fifth to 2 billion euros.

The group carried 135 million passengers last year, 3% more than in 2024. Lufthansa Group hopes to boost revenue and profit further this year. However, it adds that the war in the Middle East is an uncertain factor that could, for example, lead to higher kerosene prices.

More Brussels Airport employees are choosing to cycle to work

And another thing: more and more employees of Brussels Airport and surrounding companies are choosing bicycles for commuting.

The counter towards the Terminal registered, for example, 69,948 cyclists, an increase of 20%. “Brussels Airport employs around 30,000 people. It’s great to see that more colleagues are choosing to cycle to work,” says Christel Vandenhouten, Head of Sustainable Development at Brussels Airport.

The increase in cycling is partly thanks to cycling manager Steven Fagard, who has been working with the teams at Brussels Airport over the past few years on measures to make cycling to and from the airport more attractive. Fagard was appointed in March 2023 as part of Brussels Airport’s Stargate project, a European Green Deal project in partnership with the province of Flemish Brabant. His appointment has now been extended until the end of 2026.