Brussels Airport staff member
Brussels Airport ground staff unions refuse to service 'Israel'-bound flights
Unions representing workers at Alyzia, a ground services company operating at Brussels Airport, have called on management to stop providing services to 'Israeli' airline El Al and any other carriers flying to or from 'Israel'.
In a letter sent to company leadership, union representatives demanded that employees be given the choice to opt out of handling baggage or cargo for these flights. The move follows Brussels Airlines’ decision to resume flights to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, August 13, a plan that unions say should only proceed with fully voluntary participation from staff.
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The unions’ stance comes amid a growing movement across Europe’s aviation sector opposing 'Israel’s' military campaign in Gaza. In France, airport unions have pushed for a halt to arms shipments to 'Israel' via Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Brussels Airlines has confirmed that flights to Tel Aviv will operate with “volunteer crews,” acknowledging heightened sensitivities among employees and the broader public. Brussels, home to a significant North African community, has seen increased tensions since the escalation of violence in Gaza.
In an official joint statement, the Alyzia unions, including Pulse, CNE, and ACV-CSC Transcom, said:
“Since October 2023, genocide has been underway in Gaza and the West Bank against the Palestinian population. Serious violations of humanitarian law and international law continue. Despite this, some airlines have decided to resume flights to Tel Aviv (TLV). Our affiliates refuse to participate in these operations. We will not serve these flights.”
The unions argued that allowing 'Israeli' officials or soldiers accused of war crimes to travel freely through Brussels is unacceptable, framing their refusal as a matter of “moral principles and respect for human rights” rather than religion or ethnicity.
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They pledged opposition to “all forms of racism, anti-Semitism, and terrorism,” but insisted on taking a stand for “international law and human dignity.”
The statement concluded, “When politicians restrict themselves to crocodile tears over the fate of Gaza’s residents, workers take action. Together we stand. No treatment of flights to Tel Aviv as long as the genocide in Gaza continues.”