The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) refreshed its travel advisory for Belgium on 16 July, keeping the overall risk level unchanged but adding detailed warnings about national strikes that can disrupt public transport and airports. The update references walk-outs on 12 May 2026 and cautions that further actions may be called at short notice during the peak summer season. While aimed at British travellers, the notice is a useful one-stop reference for any international assignees as it collates strike dates and links to Belgian police channels. Companies managing short-term trips should incorporate the alert into pre-departure checks, especially for travellers transiting Brussels Airport or using Thalys/Eurostar services. Insurance providers reminded policy-holders that many comprehensive policies cover additional accommodation costs if strikes cause missed flights, but only if the advice was heeded. Mobility managers are therefore advised to document that employees received the FCDO bulletin or an equivalent local alert. Belgian tourism officials stressed that negotiated service-guarantee agreements with unions limit the impact on essential rail links, yet past experience shows significant delays are possible.
