CityJet (WX, Dublin International) is closing its Brussels National base as a direct result of the cancellation of its contract with Brussels Airlines (SN, Brussels National), according to a report in De Tijd newspaper. The Irish ACMI/charter specialist will lay-off 90 employees at the airport, where it has maintained a presence since 2017.

The job cuts became necessary after the Belgian carrier terminated a wet-lease contract with CityJet for five CRJ900LRs. The Star Alliance carrier announced in April that it was suspending operations from its gateway to Sevilla, Valencia Manises, Bristol International, Hannover, Moscow Sheremetyevo, Billund, Marrakech, and Thessaloniki until March 2021.

CityJet operates twenty-eight CRJ900LRs in total. The remaining 23 aircraft are wet-leased to SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK, Copenhagen Kastrup). It also operates four ARJ-85s, three of which operate under contract with Aer Lingus (EI, Dublin International).

The airline entered into examinership in April, a legal process in Ireland which allows distressed firms to restructure their business and debts under the mantle of an outside court-appointed administrator. Later in the month, CityJet's merger with Air Nostrum (YW, Valencia Manises) was suspended while both carriers deal with the effects of the global pandemic.