Brussels Post

United in Diversity
Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025

Belgian Airspace Reopens After Technical Issue Delays Flights, Forces PM Fico’s Return

Belgian Airspace Reopens After Technical Issue Delays Flights, Forces PM Fico’s Return

A technical problem with Belgium's air traffic control system disrupted flights, leading to delays and the return of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico to his home country.
Belgian airspace has reopened after a technical issue with the Skeyes air traffic control system led to its closure for just over an hour, grounding flights across the country.

A spokesperson for Brussels Airport confirmed the issue began after 12 pm, resulting in temporary suspension of air traffic.

The system was rebooted, and flights are gradually returning to normal, although delays of up to two hours were reported.

Two flights were diverted to Lille airport, and all aircraft in Belgian airspace were rerouted to neighbouring countries using a backup system.

The system was eventually restored, with a Skeyes spokesperson confirming that operations were stabilizing.

The outage also affected the flight of Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was en route to Brussels for a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen.

Due to the airspace closure, Fico’s plane had to turn back to Slovakia.

Fico, who returned to power in 2023 with his leftist party Smer, has been a vocal critic of EU policies on Russia, and his stance has sharply differed from the broader European mainstream.

Under his leadership, Slovakia ended its military aid to Ukraine, opposed EU sanctions on Russia, and criticized Ukraine’s energy policies.

Despite the disruptions, Brussels Airport has advised passengers to stay updated with their airlines as air traffic control works to clear the backlog.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
American Teacher Detained in Russia Freed Amid Optimism for Revived US-Russia Discussions
World Leaders Champion Ethical and Inclusive AI Governance at Paris Summit
Apple Releases Critical Security Update Following Reports of Vulnerabilities
US Senate Moves Forward with Tulsi Gabbard's Nomination for Director of National Intelligence.
OpenAI Confirms Its Independence After Musk's $97 Billion Offer
Sam Altman Reacts to Elon Musk's Offer to Acquire OpenAI
Elon Musk Cautions That U.S. Bankruptcy Could Happen Without Reductions in Federal Spending.
How Spain Transformed from High Unemployment to Eurozone Growth Leader
AI-Powered Telephone Scam Aims at Notable Italian Business Executives
EU Promises Swift Response if New US Tariffs Are Introduced
The European Union Shifts Focus to AI Innovation Amid Global Competition (or at least this is what they claim)
Europe’s far-right leaders pledge to ‘reclaim’ the continent in the wake of Trump’s reelection.
Keir Starmer Under Examination for His Legal Strategy
Merz and Scholz Face Off on Migration and Economic Policies During Pre-Election Debate
Liechtenstein Poised to Have Its First Female Leader Following Election
Trump Picks Musk to Investigate Government Fraud Amidst Controversy
French President Macron Employs Deepfake Technology to Advocate for AI Summit
FBI Alerts Smartphone Users About Toll Scam
Trump Involves Putin in Attempts to Settle the Ukraine Crisis
Trump Signs Executive Order Prioritizing White South African Refugees
Tech Giants Boost Investment in AI Infrastructure Despite Competition
Europe Faces Growing Security Concerns and Trump's New Demands on Ukraine
Trump Revokes Security Clearances of Biden Officials, Including Blinken and Sullivan
Justin Bieber Sparks Concern as New Footage Raises Health Fears
European Right-Wing Leaders Celebrate Trump’s Impact on Global Politics
Germany Confronts Political Turmoil Ahead of Unexpected Election
Belgium's Drug Commissioner Connects Cocaine Trafficking to Increasing Gang Violence in Brussels.
Macron’s AI Vision Encounters Challenges in the Global Tech Competition
Trump Broadened His Lawsuit Against CBS by Including Paramount as a Defendant.
Reports of Pro-Russian Bots Attempting to Influence German Election Surface
'BACK TO PLASTIC!': Trump to End Bans on Plastic Straws
TikTok Sued Over Alleged Child Deaths Caused by 'Blackout Challenge'
Governments Prohibit DeepSeek AI Due to National Security Issues
Russian musician Vadim Stroykin passes away following an apparent fall during a police raid.
Zelensky Suggests Mineral Collaboration with Trump for Security Aid
US Ally Claims Trump Has Distinct Credibility to Resolve Ukraine-Russia Conflict
House Republican Introduces Bill to Limit AI Exports to China
Trump Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Transgender Athletes from Competing in Women's Sports.
EU Confirms Gaza's Importance to Future Palestinian State in Light of Trump Proposal
French President First EU Leader to Congratulate Newly Elected Syrian President
Trump Suggests U.S. 'Takeover' of Gaza, Sparking International Worries
Authorities Confirm at Least Ten Fatalities in Swedish School Shooting
EU Declares Significant Advancements in Establishing Special Tribunal to Prosecute Vladimir Putin
Trump Administration Preparing Executive Order to Abolish the Department of Education
Trump's Gaza Plan Ignites Global Debate
Spain Endorses Strategy to Cut Working Week to 37.5 Hours
Trump Warns of Tariffs on EU Imports, Describes Bloc as a ‘Trade Atrocity’
Zelenskyy Proposes Nuclear Arsenal if NATO Membership Stalls
Zelenskyy Urges for 'Robust Security Assurances' from Russia to Conclude the Conflict in Ukraine
Von der Leyen Indicates 'Exceptional' Action to Enhance EU Defense Expenditures
×