Brussels Airport (BRU) released its half-year results on Saturday, 18 July 2026, showing that nearly 11.7 million passengers passed through the Belgian hub between January and June – 3.6 % more than in the same period of 2025. The figures confirm that corporate travel and leisure demand continue to rebound, even after the post-pandemic high of last year. The airport expects 5.2 million travellers over the peak July-August holiday period, and management is warning companies to book early-morning departure slots if they want to avoid the longest security queues. Growth came in spite of a turbulent first semester. Two nationwide general strikes (12 March and 12 May) and an unannounced walk-out by air-traffic controllers on 2 June forced more than 300 flight cancellations and disrupted the journeys of some 80 000 passengers. The airport operator reiterated its support for a Belgian “minimum service” law – already common in France, Italy and Spain – arguing that predictable contingency staffing is essential if Belgium wants to remain an attractive corporate gateway. Long-haul connectivity expanded markedly. Eight new destinations were added, including Air China’s Chengdu service, LATAM’s São Paulo route – Belgium’s first direct link to South America in over 25 years – and Brussels Airlines’ new Kilimanjaro flights for East-Africa project traffic. The new capacity particularly benefits multinationals headquartered in Brussels and the flourishing life-sciences corridor around Leuven, which rely on direct belly-hold cargo for temperature-controlled shipments. Cargo volumes reached 420 000 tonnes (+8.3 %), with full-freighter movements up 16.7 % and trucking traffic up 16.2 %. The Middle-East conflict temporarily grounded Tel Aviv flights and reduced frequencies to the Gulf, depressing belly-hold volumes, yet overall tonnage still rose thanks to e-commerce, pharma and express parcels. Brussels Airport Company confirmed that construction of the 70 000 m² ‘Cargo Advanced Hub’ remains on track for Q1 2027 completion – a project keenly watched by relocation managers who need fast customs clearance for household goods and time-critical project cargo. Looking ahead, the operator insisted that it does not expect further unannounced labour action during the summer peak after reaching a stand-off agreement with unions. However, it cautioned that the gradual roll-out of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) – which adds biometric registration for third-country travellers – could lengthen border-control times for non-EU passengers. To mitigate this, 30 additional e-gates will be installed by mid-August and early-registration kiosks will be trialled in cooperation with the Federal Police. Companies moving staff through Brussels this summer are therefore advised to factor in at least one extra hour for outbound immigration clearance until the new processes bed in.
Source: Air Journal
