BRITS heading to or from one major European airport on Friday are set for travel chaos.
Strikes at Brussels Airport in Belgium, are set to cancel around 140 flights on October 9 as ground handling staff walk out.
The strike will be nationwide with the ground handling company Alyzia joining the walkout.
Alyzia provides ground handling services including baggage processing and passenger aircraft ground support for around 20 airlines at the airport.
These include Brussels Airlines – the airport’s main carrier – as well as ITA Airways, Air Arabia and United Airlines.
For passengers flying with these airlines, delays and cancellations may occur.
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However, if you are due to fly with the likes of Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air or British Airways – ground handling for these airlines is carried out by another provider at the airport.
The strike action comes as workers protest against governmental policies.
Public transport is also expected to be disrupted in Brussels.
Unfortunately, as this strike is outside of the airline’s control it will be deemed an ‘extraordinary circumstance’, which means if your flight is cancelled you will not be entitled to compensation.
However, airlines do still have a duty of care to passengers.
This means that they should rebook or refund your flight free of charge as well as provide you with food and drink, as well as accommodation if required.