Brussels Airlines Crew Threaten Strike Over Mandatory Tel Aviv Flights

Belgian labor union ACV Puls filed an official strike notice this morning (Tuesday) against Brussels Airlines, following the company’s decision to require flight crew members to be assigned to Tel Aviv flights. The union says the move violates previous agreements with company management, under which service to Israel would be operated by employees who volunteered for it.

The strike notice took effect today and allows the union to take targeted labor action if the company does not change its policy. ACV Puls said that any future disruptions would be limited to flights to and from Tel Aviv and would not affect other destinations.

The dispute escalated after the airline decided to shift from volunteer-based assignments to regular crew scheduling. Previously, when flights to Israel resumed, Brussels Airlines offered grants and bonuses to employees who agreed to work the route. But according to the union, because there were not enough volunteers to operate the planned flight schedule, the company decided to require employees to fly to Israel.

Yolinda Defio, a representative of ACV Puls, said: "There are serious concerns among crew members, both about physical safety and about the mental and potential impact of these flights. Nevertheless, Brussels Airlines refuses to give employees the option of declining these assignments. This is especially serious in the context of the ongoing war and genocide in Gaza."

The union is relying, among other things, on guidance from Belgium’s Foreign Ministry, which continues to advise citizens against nonessential travel to Israel and the Jerusalem area because of the security situation. Defio added: "If the Foreign Ministry recommends avoiding nonessential travel, Brussels Airlines cannot pretend that Tel Aviv is an entirely ordinary destination."

According to the union, the employer’s responsibility for employee safety requires it to allow crew members with serious safety or conscientious objections to decline the flights without facing financial, professional, or disciplinary consequences. The union’s statement said: "A shortage of volunteers does not give the company free rein to force employees."

Tensions surrounding the operation of the Tel Aviv route are not new, and friction over the issue between employees and management had already emerged during 2025. The union also cited an incident in which, during a previous return to operations in Israel, a missile fell within the grounds of Ben-Gurion Airport shortly before the scheduled departure time of a flight. According to the union, the incident illustrates the risk to which crew members may be exposed.

Brussels Airlines rejects the claims about its conduct and emphasizes that safety considerations remain at the center of its decision-making: "Brussels Airlines resumed operations to Tel Aviv this summer. During the first weeks, these flights were operated by volunteers. Now that flights have resumed successfully, we can return to the normal procedure for putting together flight schedules."

The airline added: "Together with the other airlines in the Lufthansa Group, we continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground and are prepared to adjust procedures at any time if necessary."