Mysterious intrusion occurred, numerous flights canceled - Budapest also affected

Shortly before 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening, airport traffic was temporarily suspended for safety reasons after a drone was reported flying in the airspace. Although the airspace closure was lifted after an hour and a half, Brussels Airport remained closed for several more hours due to another drone being spotted. This resulted in delays and the cancellation of 41 flights.

Nathalie Pierard, a spokesperson for Zaventem Airport, said that the suspension of air traffic the previous evening would affect the schedule on Wednesday.

The airport will cancel at least 40 flights, including those to Budapest, during the day.

The daily newspaper quoted Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin, who told Radio 1 on Wednesday morning that he had requested a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss drone flights over Belgian airspace, which have been ongoing for weeks. He added that the most important thing was that all flying objects should be identifiable.

We must ensure that we have the right systems in place for detection and identification,

he said, adding that it is also vital that all drones flying in Belgian airspace are registered in Belgium.