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Brussels more sleep deprived than Flanders over Zaventem airport's noise pollution
(14-05-2026)
Noise pollution related to take-offs and landings at Brussels Airport predominantly affected the Belgian capital?s residents, which is feeding community tensions and accusations of "Dutch-speaking domination".
Source : Brussels Time (6 mai 2026)
Out of the 104,000 people
reported to have trouble sleeping at night due to aircraft take-offs and
landings at Brussels Airport, some 60% of them live in the Brussels-Capital
Region. This is according to a new report on the noise impact of the busy
airport in Zaventem, reported by the Belga News Agency. The report,
compiled each year by an independent aviation consultancy firm, To70, is based
on the most recent demographic data. It
found that 104,298 people had their sleep "severely disrupted" in
2025. This represents an increase of 2.5% compared to 2024, when the figure
stood at around 101,750. Furthermore, the number of night-time flights to and
from Brussels Airport – between 23:00 and 07:00 – has risen by 2.1% over the
past year.
reported to have trouble sleeping at night due to aircraft take-offs and
landings at Brussels Airport, some 60% of them live in the Brussels-Capital
Region. This is according to a new report on the noise impact of the busy
airport in Zaventem, reported by the Belga News Agency. The report,
compiled each year by an independent aviation consultancy firm, To70, is based
on the most recent demographic data. It
found that 104,298 people had their sleep "severely disrupted" in
2025. This represents an increase of 2.5% compared to 2024, when the figure
stood at around 101,750. Furthermore, the number of night-time flights to and
from Brussels Airport – between 23:00 and 07:00 – has risen by 2.1% over the
past year.
The City of Brussels
(16,643), Schaerbeek (12,924), Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (10,596) and Evere (7,039)
are the most affected municipalities on the list. Next are Zaventem (6,770) and
Vilvoorde (5,482), in Flemish Brabant. The report comes after north and west Brussels
residents reported suffering constant nighttime nuisances due to a new air
route flying over the Brussels-Capital Region. Affected residents say they currently have just three-and-a-half
hours of uninterrupted sleep every
night the route is operating. Indeed, the report confirms this. Last year, a
notable increase in the number of people with severely disturbed sleep was
recorded in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (+54%) and Koekelberg (+47%), whilst the
number fell significantly in Jette (-35%).
(16,643), Schaerbeek (12,924), Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (10,596) and Evere (7,039)
are the most affected municipalities on the list. Next are Zaventem (6,770) and
Vilvoorde (5,482), in Flemish Brabant. The report comes after north and west Brussels
residents reported suffering constant nighttime nuisances due to a new air
route flying over the Brussels-Capital Region. Affected residents say they currently have just three-and-a-half
hours of uninterrupted sleep every
night the route is operating. Indeed, the report confirms this. Last year, a
notable increase in the number of people with severely disturbed sleep was
recorded in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (+54%) and Koekelberg (+47%), whilst the
number fell significantly in Jette (-35%).
This is due to a new
landing procedure for arrivals on Runway 07L, which was brought back
into use last summer. Under this new procedure, landing aircraft line up for
the runway from a greater distance, thereby flying over Molenbeek and
Koekelberg. Under the old procedure, a left-hand turn would be made just before
landing, over Jette. Runway 07L was also used more frequently last year
than in 2024, and was renovated in August 2025.
landing procedure for arrivals on Runway 07L, which was brought back
into use last summer. Under this new procedure, landing aircraft line up for
the runway from a greater distance, thereby flying over Molenbeek and
Koekelberg. Under the old procedure, a left-hand turn would be made just before
landing, over Jette. Runway 07L was also used more frequently last year
than in 2024, and was renovated in August 2025.
'People can no longer sleep'
On Monday, former mayor
of Koekelberg and leader of the Socialist Party (PS) in Brussels, Ahmed
Laaouej, called on the Federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés)
to take immediate action ."The noise from aircraft flying over Brussels is
both intolerable and scandalous. People have had enough and can no longer
sleep," he said in a statement. When quizzed in a committee by François De
Smet (DeFI), Minister Crucke conceded that the number of landings on the runway
had doubled since 2024, despite its use only usually being invoked in
exceptional cases.
of Koekelberg and leader of the Socialist Party (PS) in Brussels, Ahmed
Laaouej, called on the Federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés)
to take immediate action ."The noise from aircraft flying over Brussels is
both intolerable and scandalous. People have had enough and can no longer
sleep," he said in a statement. When quizzed in a committee by François De
Smet (DeFI), Minister Crucke conceded that the number of landings on the runway
had doubled since 2024, despite its use only usually being invoked in
exceptional cases.
The minister recognised the inconvenience caused
to local residents, but told federal MPs that the use of the runway and landing
procedure was due to EU regulations and the weather and wind conditions. He
also pledged to carry out more impact studies. Since the start of 2026, 11% of
landings have used Runway 07L, according to data by Skeyes, while a ULB study found that more than 400,000 people are impacted by the noise of planes taking this trajectory.
to local residents, but told federal MPs that the use of the runway and landing
procedure was due to EU regulations and the weather and wind conditions. He
also pledged to carry out more impact studies. Since the start of 2026, 11% of
landings have used Runway 07L, according to data by Skeyes, while a ULB study found that more than 400,000 people are impacted by the noise of planes taking this trajectory.
Community tensions
Yet, with the Flemish Region recently becoming a
majority shareholder in the airport, and the Brussels-Capital Region not being
a shareholder at all, this situation is engendering distrust and enflaming
inter-community tensions. As an example, Jette, which has seen a huge reduction
in residents affected by aircraft noise, is considered one of the most
Dutch-speaking municipalities in Brussels. Molenbeek and Koekelberg, on the other hand, are in the top five poorest
communes, not just in Brussels, but in the whole country. In March, all
19 mayors of Brussels' municipalities reached a common agreement to push for a
reduction in noise pollution caused by aircraft flying over the capital region.
They called for a ban on night flights between 22:00 and 7:00, as is practised
by many European airports, and to reduce landings on runways 01 and 07.
majority shareholder in the airport, and the Brussels-Capital Region not being
a shareholder at all, this situation is engendering distrust and enflaming
inter-community tensions. As an example, Jette, which has seen a huge reduction
in residents affected by aircraft noise, is considered one of the most
Dutch-speaking municipalities in Brussels. Molenbeek and Koekelberg, on the other hand, are in the top five poorest
communes, not just in Brussels, but in the whole country. In March, all
19 mayors of Brussels' municipalities reached a common agreement to push for a
reduction in noise pollution caused by aircraft flying over the capital region.
They called for a ban on night flights between 22:00 and 7:00, as is practised
by many European airports, and to reduce landings on runways 01 and 07.
This week, Federal MP Ridouane Chahid (PS)
accused the Federal Government, led by Flemish nationalists N-VA, of having
consolidated the interests of Flanders by proposing a senior party figure (and
current embattled Pro League CEO) Lorin Parys, to become a board member and
future chairman of the airport. Chahid, a former councillor in the nearby
Evere, called the move as being part of a wider "Dutch-speaking
domination" in leadership appointments to Belgium's federal institutions,
which he says began with the so-called Arizona coalition government. He accuses
French-speaking coalition parties MR and Les Engagés of not having defended the
interests of Brussels and Walloon Brabant adequately enough in the airport
noise pollution debate, pointing to a wider national trend.
accused the Federal Government, led by Flemish nationalists N-VA, of having
consolidated the interests of Flanders by proposing a senior party figure (and
current embattled Pro League CEO) Lorin Parys, to become a board member and
future chairman of the airport. Chahid, a former councillor in the nearby
Evere, called the move as being part of a wider "Dutch-speaking
domination" in leadership appointments to Belgium's federal institutions,
which he says began with the so-called Arizona coalition government. He accuses
French-speaking coalition parties MR and Les Engagés of not having defended the
interests of Brussels and Walloon Brabant adequately enough in the airport
noise pollution debate, pointing to a wider national trend.
The Brussels Secretary of State for the
Environment Ans Persoons (Vooruit) also separately denounced the fact that the
public inquiry relating to Brussels Airport's environmental permit was only
carried out in Dutch by the Flemish authorities. "It is not logical that this issue was handled in a single
administrative language," she told Bruzz. "This is totally
disproportionate given the impact of the environmental permit on the well-being
of Brussels residents. In the first 10 months of 2025, there were also 4,758
violations of Brussels region noise standards, while less than 20% of fines
imposed for aircraft noise pollution around Brussels Airport had been collected
since the year 2000, Le Soir reported in February this year.
Environment Ans Persoons (Vooruit) also separately denounced the fact that the
public inquiry relating to Brussels Airport's environmental permit was only
carried out in Dutch by the Flemish authorities. "It is not logical that this issue was handled in a single
administrative language," she told Bruzz. "This is totally
disproportionate given the impact of the environmental permit on the well-being
of Brussels residents. In the first 10 months of 2025, there were also 4,758
violations of Brussels region noise standards, while less than 20% of fines
imposed for aircraft noise pollution around Brussels Airport had been collected
since the year 2000, Le Soir reported in February this year.