Warning to passengers as airport asks airlines to cancel flights for day

The disruption may spread as more airports could be hit

An airport has told passengers to avoid travel for one day amid industrial action and the disruption could spread to other transport hubs in Europe. Brussels Airport has asked airlines to minimise flights from the airport on October 1.

In response, Brussels Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, has announced almost all its flights to and from Brussels Airport will be cancelled on October 1. Passengers are being asked to travel the day before or after to avoid delays.

And there are warnings the disruption could spread to other European airports. The moves comes amid industrial action being taken at the airport by security, cleaning and hospitality staff.

The airport has asked all airlines to reduce departure flights due to reduced capacity at security checkpoints. The airport says industrial action will affect "a large part of the staff at the external security service provider" at the airport.

Anyone still trying to travel on October 1 should expect long waiting times at security checks. An airport spokesman said:"The airlines, in consultation with the airport, have decided to cancel or reschedule a significant number of flights departing on October 1."

Brussels Airlines has already planned the cancellation of "most of its flights". A spokesman for the airline said: "Passengers will be informed and transferred to another flight as quickly as possible." The said the alternative could be travelling 'one day earlier, one day later or, for passengers transferring, a transfer to another hub of the Lufthansa group'.

The unions say disruptions mat spread to Charleroi and Liège airports where workers will be allowed to participate in the demonstration. Brussels Airport says that cargo operations will not be disrupted on 1 October.

On busy days, such as weekends or holidays, passenger numbers at Brussels Airport can exceed 70,000 daily.