Brussels Airport Company reported on 14 October 2026 that 2,361,512 passengers passed through Zaventem in September—a 3.9 % increase on the same month last year—underscoring the hub’s continued recovery and importance for Belgian business travel. Cargo volumes also rose 6.8 % to just over 70,000 tonnes. The growth came in spite of two nationwide public-sector strikes in March and May and a spontaneous air-traffic-control walkout in June that forced hundreds of flight cancellations. Airport CEO Arnaud Feist said the figures “prove that demand for both leisure and corporate mobility remains robust, even in a year marked by industrial actions.” Transfer passengers accounted for 14 % of departing traffic, reflecting Brussels’ role as a Star Alliance connection point between North America, Africa and secondary European cities. The top outbound destinations were Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece and Germany, while the United States remained the leading long-haul market. For mobility managers, the data signal tighter seat availability and higher fares on popular routes in Q4 as airlines look to capitalise on solid demand. Companies are advised to book holiday-season travel early and monitor union activity: while the airport has secured a truce with air-traffic controllers, public-sector unions have called for a ‘day of social action’ in late November, which could again disrupt schedules. Feist added that Brussels Airport now serves 205 direct destinations via 83 airlines—slightly above pre-pandemic levels—and reiterated plans to open a US Customs Pre-clearance facility by 2028, which would further streamline transatlantic mobility.
Source: Brussels Airport News
