EU aviation network manager Eurocontrol has issued an operational alert for Brussels Airport (EBBR) covering the National Day period and the wider July holiday peak. The notice says that the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES)—which captures fingerprints and facial images from all third-country nationals—continues to create bottlenecks between 05:00 and 12:00, with 100 % biometric coverage requested by the Belgian Federal Police. Eurocontrol predicts that immigration hall congestion will spill over into baggage reclaim and transfer areas, causing departure delays as late-connecting passengers are processed. Airlines have been asked to revise minimum connection times and to pre-notify passenger manifests so that additional e-gates can be opened at short notice. Separately, runway and taxiway maintenance is scheduled overnight from 01:00 to 06:00 local time between 21 and 22 July, meaning Brussels cannot accept A380 movements during that window. Cargo operators using wide-body equipment have been instructed to reschedule or reroute through Liège, while express carriers may face slot restrictions. For mobility managers the message is clear: instruct business travellers to arrive at least three hours before departure, alert assignees bringing family members on residence D-visas that first-time EES enrolment can take 15–20 minutes per person, and consider booking meetings in the airport’s Regus lounge to buffer potential delays. Companies moving time-sensitive freight through BRU’s Brucargo zone should confirm overnight truck slots with ground handlers.
