Published on
January 9, 2026
Hundreds of passengers stuck in Belgium as 34 cancellations and 212 delays hit Brussels Airport (BRU) alone. Brussels Airlines was the most affected, reporting 19 cancellations and 99 delays, followed by KLM (5 cancellations, 1 delay), Iberia (2 cancellations, 2 delays), Transavia Airlines (2 cancellations, 5 delays), and TAP Air Portugal (1 cancellation, 3 delays).
At the airport level, Brussels Airport (19 cancellations, 124 delays) saw the highest volume of disruption, while connected European airports such as Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (3 cancellations, 1 delay), Frankfurt Airport (1 cancellation, 4 delays), Zurich Airport (1 cancellation, 4 delays), and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (1 cancellation, 1 delay) also reported knock-on effects.
Several major international carriers not among the worst hit still faced operational issues, including Lufthansa, British Airways, Ryanair, easyJet, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, United Airlines, and Vueling Airlines.
Updated today: Brussels Airport recorded 34 cancellations and 212 delays, with widespread airline and route-level disruption.Brussels Airlines accounted for the highest share of affected flights, leading both cancellations and delays.Several major European airports including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Zurich, and Paris experienced connected disruptions.Long-haul routes to North America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia were also impacted despite lower volumes.Multiple airlines reported high delay percentages without cancellations, pointing to congestion and scheduling strain.Most Affected AirportsBrussels Airport
The epicenter of the disruption, Brussels Airport logged 19 cancellations and 124 delays, affecting nearly half of monitored departures and arrivals.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Schiphol saw 3 cancellations and 1 delay, reflecting spillover effects on key Benelux and European routes.
Frankfurt Airport
Europe’s busiest hub recorded 1 cancellation and 4 delays, impacting onward connections across the continent.
Zurich Airport
Zurich experienced 1 cancellation and 4 delays, with a high proportion of affected flights relative to volume.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
CDG reported 1 cancellation and 1 delay, contributing to wider Western European disruption.
Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and DelaysBrussels Airlines
The airline led disruption statistics with 19 cancellations and 99 delays, severely impacting its short- and medium-haul network.
KLM
KLM recorded 5 cancellations and 1 delay, one of the highest cancellation ratios among carriers operating through Brussels.
Iberia
Iberia posted 2 cancellations and 2 delays, affecting Spain–Belgium connectivity.
Transavia Airlines
The low-cost carrier saw 2 cancellations and 5 delays, with a notable share of its schedule disrupted.
TAP Air Portugal
TAP reported 1 cancellation and 3 delays, impacting routes to and from Portugal.
Financial Impact on Airlines
Flight cancellations and prolonged delays typically translate into higher short-term operating costs for airlines, driven by crew overtime, aircraft repositioning, additional fuel burn, and passenger care obligations such as meals, accommodation, and rebooking. Disruptions can also affect network efficiency, forcing carriers to adjust schedules and absorb revenue losses from missed connections and unsold seats. Over time, repeated irregular operations may put pressure on profit margins, particularly for airlines operating high-frequency short-haul routes with limited recovery windows. While such impacts are often temporary, sustained disruption periods can influence quarterly performance, customer confidence, and operational planning across airline networks.
How Passengers Were Impacted at Major AirportsExpect longer waiting times at departure gates and during aircraft turnaround.Increased likelihood of missed connections, particularly on multi-leg European itineraries.Higher demand at airline service desks for rebooking and meal or hotel assistance.Potential last-minute schedule changes, requiring passengers to monitor flight status closely.Crowding during peak hours as delayed flights overlap with scheduled departures.Overview of Flight Cancellations
Flight cancellations were concentrated among a small group of airlines and airports. Brussels Airlines, KLM, Iberia, Transavia Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, and Lufthansa were among the most affected carriers by outright cancellations. On the airport side, Brussels Airport dominated cancellation totals, while secondary impacts were seen at Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt, Zurich, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Despite fewer cancellations at some hubs, repeated delays at airports such as Frankfurt, Zurich, Amsterdam, and Paris amplified disruption across Europe, with ripple effects extending to North America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia through delayed long-haul departures and arrivals.
Image Source: AI
Source: Different airports and FlightAware
