Brussels Airport flight path faces legal challenges over noise

Residents and municipalities in Belgium are taking legal action to contest the use of the ‘Crucke route’ (RNP 07L), an aerial trajectory used for landings at Brussels Airport. The Evere municipality has joined a legal procedure launched by the Brussels-Capital Region to challenge the intensive use of this path.

Originally introduced as a temporary measure during air traffic reorganization, the route has continued to be used, leading to complaints regarding increased low-altitude flights, repetitive noise, and night-time overflights. According to regional data, over 270,000 residents are affected, with 96% of measured flights exceeding noise standards.

In Flanders, a collective of 42 families from Dilbeek, Lennik, and Roosdaal is suing the Belgian state, while the municipality of Lennik is preparing its own legal action. Residents report noise levels peaking between 80 and 85 decibels, causing significant sleep disruption. Federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke has stated that this satellite-guided route is a European obligation and serves as an alternative when preferred runways cannot be used due to weather conditions.