Belgium Airport Compensates Airlines

Friday April 20, 11:59 am ET

Brussels Airport Offers Airlines Free Landing, Takeoffs to Offset Strike Damage





BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- The Brussels airport will let airlines land and take off for free every Friday in May to compensate them for flight delays and cancellations during an April 13 strike by some airport staff that led to chaos and confusion among thousands of stranded passengers.

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The gesture will cost the airport $680,000 in lost income but is no admission of guilt in the wildcat strike by firemen and security staff, Wilfried Van Assche, the airport's chief executive, said in an interview with the daily De Standaard Friday.



"This is a purely commercial gesture unrelated to any damage claims we will get from airlines," he said.



Van Assche added the airport was keen to improve its image that was badly dented by the strike.



It is also considering giving passengers who missed flights out of Brussels on April 13 a voucher worth $13.60 to be spent in airport shops and restaurants.



On April 13, firefighters and security personnel staged a 10 1/2-hour wildcat strike forcing a temporary shutdown of the Brussels airport causing chaos for travelers at the end of the Easter holidays.



After picket lines went up at 6 a.m., airlines canceled or delayed all flights for safety reasons. Firemen and security staff union complained of poor treatment and demanded better overtime pay rules. They reached an agreement with management more than 10 hours later.



The Brussels airport handles about 700 flights a day. On April 13, it expected to see a peak of 25,000 passengers due to the return of Easter vacationers.
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