More than 1,000 'disputed' night flights at Brussels Airport last year

In 2024, there were disputes over some 1,055 night flights at Brussels Airport, the airport’s federal ombudsman Philippe Touwaide has announced, presenting the ombudsman’s annual report.

The figures showing flights operated with no time slot come from the Belgium Slot Coordination. This service assigns time slots to aircraft taking off and landing at Brussels Airport.

The 1,055 offending flights were due to delays, excess noise, or because they took place during so-called quiet nights. There were 661 landings and 394 departures.

In addition, the ombudsman himself registered 763 suspected offences. These included 218 departing flights completely banned at night, but not counted by the Belgium Slot Coordination, and seven violations for incorrectly used air corridors.

The annual report also showed that the ombudsman service received 37,188 complaints in 2024, more than for 2023. These included, he said, “unfortunately, 10,440 that were impolite or even threatening”.

The ombudsman said complaints were replied to on time and that he had considerably stepped up his institutional communication with ministers, members of parliament and local councillors during the past electoral year.

Notably, he had provided complete, neutral and objective documentation in the form of legal analyses, explanations of procedures and maps.

Touwaide and deputy director Martine Van Riel reiterated that they were more motivated than ever to “achieve a sustainable, balanced and respectable solution” to organise flights around Brussels-National Airport.

Touwaide reiterated that most cargo planes are too loud, too polluting and too old, causing considerable nuisance to local residents, especially at night. The oldest cargo plane used in 2024, running for 41 years, was a Boeing 767-200.

In addition, Touwaide said Brussels Airport Company should construct a covered hall for testing engines, as well as comply with all previous court rulings and European regulations, such as the conditions in renewed environmental permits.

“Not enough notice is taken of the environmental impact of the airport, and the effect on the health of local residents," he concluded.

"Distribution of flights over runways other than 25R/L [pointing 25 degrees right/left] is also unnecessary and illegal. The solutions have been on the table for years: it is up to Brussels Airport Company and its managers to get to work.”

Not everyone would agree, according to a survey of 1,000 local residents living near Brussels Airport, commissioned by parcel company DHL Express. It found “absolutely no support” for a total ban on night flights, as the former federal mobility minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) had proposed.