Brussels Airlines Staff Threaten Strike Over Flights to Israel

Belgian airline union ACV Puls has issued a preliminary strike notice protesting Brussels Airlines' decision to resume mandatory flights to Tel Aviv. The union argues this violates previous agreements that stipulated only volunteers would staff flights to Israel initially. Union representative Yolinde Defieu stated that employees have "serious concerns regarding physical safety, as well as the psychological and ethical impact of the flights." The union claims the airline is not allowing staff to refuse assignments to Israel despite the security situation, asserting that forcing employees to fly there under current circumstances breaches the employer's duty to protect them from security and health risks.

The opposition extends beyond security, with the union citing "psychological and ethical implications" and referencing the war and "genocide in Gaza," indicating a political dimension to their resistance. The strike notice took effect on September 1st. ACV Puls warned that if Brussels Airlines does not reverse its decision, protests could impact flights to and from Israel, and the union will defend any employee who refuses to fly to what it terms a war zone. The union also pointed to Belgian Foreign Ministry travel advisories recommending against non-essential travel to Israel and Jerusalem due to the volatile security situation. They recalled a previous incident where a missile hit near Ben Gurion Airport shortly before a flight was scheduled to depart.

Brussels Airlines responded by stating that safety is its top priority. The company confirmed that flights to Tel Aviv resumed over the summer with volunteers, and now that they have been successfully reinstated, the airline is returning to its standard procedure of assigning crews. The airline added that it, along with other Lufthansa Group carriers, is closely monitoring the situation and that procedures may change based on developments.