Pending further consultations, the Belgian government has suspended a proposed night-time ban on Boeing 777 freighter operations at Brussels National, which would have impacted AeroLogic (3S, Leipzig/Halle) and DHL Express. The decision follows protests from Flanders' regional government and concerns that switching to smaller, older aircraft would increase noise levels.
AeroLogic, a joint venture between DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo (LH, Frankfurt International), was caught up in the political storm that threatened to scuttle its B777-200F operations at the Belgian hub. In June, outgoing transport minister Georges Gilkinet proposed to end an exemption for B777 freighters, particularly those operated by DHL Express, citing noise pollution and public health concerns. The announcement faced immediate backlash from the Flemish government, which initiated "conflict-of-interest" proceedings, resulting in an intervention from Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who called for the suspension of the proposed ban to allow for further consultation on the matter.
"We are pleased that we can continue to fly with the B777F during the night at Brussels Airport," a DHL Group spokeswoman told ch-aviation. "The B777F is the quietest and most modern widebody freighter on the market. We hope that the new Belgian government will find a permanent solution to this issue because the B777F has proven over the past ten years that this aircraft type reduces noise pollution around the airport. It speaks for itself that DHL remains committed to finding the right balance between economic interests and the environment around Brussels Airport, and in our opinion the B777F is certainly part of this balance."
