Several flights at Brussels Airport were delayed due to stormy weather. That confirms spokesman Ihsane Chioua Lekhli to HLN. “In case of strong wind gusts, ground handling is temporarily halted,” she says. The problems occur with both departing and arriving flights. Many travelers report that they have been stuck on the tarmac for hours.
“We’ve been waiting for almost three hours to get off,” said a passenger who arrived from Finland at 7:00 PM just before 10 PM. “Completely unacceptable. No stairs, no bus, nothing to see. No info, nobody.”
He previously reported that the plane made a heavy landing. After an hour, there are still no buses driven to the aircraft and water was distributed to the passengers.
stairs
Earlier, other travelers also reported via 4040, the place for news tips from HLN and VTM NIEUWS, that they were stuck on the tarmac. “The personnel who have to provide the stairs and transport the luggage are not allowed to go outside for safety,” they said.
There were also problems at Brussels Airport for departing flights today. Due to the strong wind gusts, the luggage could not be loaded at some times or the boarding could not start. “As a result, a number of flights have been delayed. The impact can still be felt at the moment,” said Ihsane Chioua Lekhli. “It is possible that some travelers are still waiting for news about when their flight can depart. It depends on the wind. That is very unpredictable.”
If the wind subsides, the problems will resolve themselves. “As soon as we are sure that the worst gusts of wind have passed, the handling can be restarted. But until then, we must respect the necessary safety regulations,” said the spokeswoman.
To take off
The storm has no impact on the take-off and landing of aircraft themselves. “The wind speeds we see here in our country have more of an impact on ground handling than on flying itself. Depending on where the wind comes, there can be an impact on, for example, the flight paths.”
A number of flights were also canceled today, but that was more due to the weather at the destination than the stormy weather here. The cancellations already happened this morning. “Normally, the airlines then inform their passengers,” said Ihsane Chioua Lekhli. “These were flights to Schiphol in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany.”
Roof
Due to the strong gusts of wind, some panels also came loose from the roof of the airport terminal (towards Pier A). “To ensure safety, a perimeter has been cordoned off on the tarmac,” the spokeswoman said. “The planes and personnel on the tarmac are kept outside the perimeter. Inside the building, the zone is also kept clear to guarantee safety. Keeping the perimeter on the tarmac clear, however, has no impact on the departure and landing of the aircraft.”
Griet Langedock
@GrietLangedock
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