Brussels Airlines Staff Strike Over Mandatory Flights to Tel Aviv

Belgian airline Brussels Airlines is facing a strike by its cabin crew over mandatory flights to Tel Aviv. The ACV Puls trade union announced a targeted strike on the Tel Aviv route, accusing the airline of violating agreements and endangering staff, contrary to official travel advisories.

The union claims the forced assignments breach prior agreements stipulating that flights to Israel would be voluntary. They argue that these assignments pose serious physical and ethical risks to the crews, especially given the ongoing conflict and the Belgian Foreign Ministry's advisory against non-essential travel to Israel and Jerusalem.

Yolinda Defieu, a representative for ACV Puls, stated that crew members have "grave concerns" about both physical safety and the mental impact of these flights. She criticized Brussels Airlines for refusing to allow staff to decline these assignments, particularly in the context of the war in Gaza, and for disregarding official safety recommendations.

The dispute stems from a shortage of volunteers for the Tel Aviv route. Previously, the airline offered financial incentives to attract volunteers. Now, with insufficient volunteers, the company has opted for mandatory assignments. The union insists that a volunteer shortage does not justify forcing employees and demands that staff with genuine safety or conscientious objections be allowed to refuse flights without penalty.

Brussels Airlines responded by asserting that safety procedures are fully maintained and that flights resumed this summer with volunteers. They stated that they are now returning to their standard procedure for scheduling flights and are monitoring the situation closely. However, the union remains skeptical, citing a past incident where a missile fell near Ben Gurion Airport shortly before a scheduled flight departure as evidence of the real danger.