Brussels Airport hires 500 seasonal staff, opens extra security lanes ahead of record 20 July peak

Facing what management calls “the busiest day in its 68-year history”, Brussels Airport is taking emergency measures to cope with an expected 115,000 departing passengers on 20 July. According to a 6 July report by Redactie24, the airport has recruited 500 temporary workers, extended opening hours for security screening and will open four additional security lanes in Terminal A. The move responds to passenger numbers now running 12 % above pre-pandemic 2019 levels, fuelled by pent-up leisure demand and the early start of the Flemish building-industry holidays. CEO Arnaud Feist said the extra headcount will focus on security, check-in assistance and crowd management around the biometric self-service kiosks introduced for the Entry/Exit System.



Travellers whose journeys still require a visa—whether they are non-EU residents departing Brussels or holiday-makers planning onward trips beyond the Schengen Area—can save time by arranging documentation through VisaHQ. The company’s digital platform for Belgium offers rapid online applications, live status tracking and expert support, helping passengers avoid last-minute paperwork issues on what is expected to be the airport’s most crowded day.

Ground-handling firms Swissport and Aviapartner have been asked to align staff rosters, while the federal police will add plain-clothes officers for fast incident response. Airport authorities are also encouraging travellers to arrive at least three hours before departure and to pre-book parking online—a service that now offers dynamic discounts during off-peak drop-off times. For businesses relocating staff or shipping time-critical components via passenger flights, the measures aim to minimise disruption during a period that traditionally sees increased cargo belly-hold utilisation. Nonetheless, logistics providers are advised to shift sensitive consignments to freighter services or advance shipment windows where possible.