What happened at Brussels Airport?
Air traffic at Brussels Airport stopped for roughly half an hour on Friday evening after a drone was spotted in the vicinity. Skeyes, the Belgian provider of air navigation services, issued the information on 12 September 2026. The operator activated its established safety protocol immediately upon detection. The suspension affected runway operations until the required clearance period elapsed.
How does the safety protocol work?
The protocol requires suspension of runway operations until at least 30 minutes have passed since the last confirmed drone report. Skeyes spokesperson Kurt Vervilgen stated that the drone disappeared after the initial sightings. He provided no further details on the model of the aircraft or the number of flights delayed or diverted. The measure applies uniformly to all runway activity once a drone is reported in the airport vicinity.
Previous drone incidents in Belgium
The September event recalls a series of similar sightings reported in November near civil airports, military sites and a nuclear facility. At that time Belgian authorities announced the purchase of counter-drone systems from a Latvian supplier and referred to indications of possible Russian involvement, while stressing that no conclusive evidence existed. Russia denied any connection. Officials noted the pattern of sightings but have not linked the November cases directly to the most recent detection.
Frequently asked questions
Was the drone identified?
Skeyes reported that the drone disappeared after detection and released no information on its type or operator.
How long were flights affected?
Runway operations remained suspended for approximately 30 minutes under the standard safety protocol.
Did any flights divert?
Skeyes gave no figures on the number of flights delayed or rerouted during the incident.
Is there a link to earlier sightings?
Officials noted similarities with November incidents but have not established any connection between the two sets of events.
What measures followed past incidents?
Belgium announced procurement of kamikaze counter-drone systems from Latvia after the November reports.
