Brussels Airlines allows crew to refuse Tel Aviv flights

Brussels Airlines has reached an agreement with pilots and cabin crew to allow staff to refuse flights to or from Tel Aviv without fear of retaliation. The deal follows a strike threat from unions, including ACV Puls, which expressed concerns regarding the physical safety and psychological impact of operating in a war zone.

Under the new arrangement, employees can utilize the ‘not fit to fly’ procedure, which is intended for those who feel mentally or physically unable to operate a flight. The airline stated that staff using this procedure will not face sanctions, and the reports will not be used against them in the future.

The agreement comes after unions criticized the airline for moving away from a voluntary-only system for the Tel Aviv route toward standard scheduling. While the airline aims to operate the route safely under ordinary procedures, unions continue to advocate for employee rights and have noted that the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against non-essential travel to Israel.