Brussels flights scrapped ahead of March 31 strike

BRUSSELS

Belgium's two largest airports have announced that they were cancelling all outbound flights scheduled on March 31, in a pre-emptive response to a nationwide strike expected to significantly disrupt air traffic control.

Charleroi Airport, a major European hub for low-cost airline Ryanair south of Brussels, said all flights arriving or departing during the strike called by the country's two main unions would be cancelled.

Brussels Airport, the country's largest, similarly said it would cancel all outbound flight and travellers should also brace for possible cancellations to inbound flights.

A large part of airport security and maintenance staff are expected to down tools in a day of protest over pension reform plans by the incoming conservative-led government, as well as the cost of living.

Flemish nationalist Bart De Wever took office as prime minister early last month after months of coalition talks following Belgium's elections in June last year.

But trade unions have been incensed by his push for pension reforms as Belgium grapples with a budget deficit whose size violates EU rules.

Monday's planned protest comes six weeks after an earlier nationwide strike drew tens of thousands of people into the streets.

Large numbers of soldiers, teachers, railway workers, police officers and firefighters have joined the strike action because the government's move to remove special pension schemes particularly affects them.