Tag: Courier/Express/Parcels

Unions demonstrated at Brussels international airport and delayed some flights Friday to push their demands for a deal between the authorities and parcel service DHL that would keep thousands of jobs in Belgium.

Airport workers have been outraged that an agreement has stalled for weeks over how to balance DHL’s demands for more night flights with local residents’ concerns over noise.

“We limited our action because we did not want to pester the passengers,” said union representative Hendrik Vermeersch. “We wanted to give the authorities and DHL a signal that enough is enough. We need a deal now.”

Several hundred workers assembled in the departure hall for a short demonstration, which affected a few flights. Employees of other companies at the airport joined in.

Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt has written to express courier company DHL to demand assurances that its air fleet will be modernised if it extends its activities at Brussels airport, Belgian daily Le Soir newspaper reported, citing the prime minister.

Talks between Belgian authorities and DHL over the expansion of Brussels Zaventum airport into DHL’s regional hub have stalled over the disturbance to local residents caused by an increase in night flights.

The main stumbling block, which the federal government hopes is the key to a settlement, is the modernisation of DHL’s fleet of planes to ensure quieter models are used when landing after-dark, Le Soir said.