National strike in Belgium 13/2/2019 (+ later)

[Groningen]

Today there is very very limited bus and train travel possible in Belgium due to a strike. How it affects Thalys and Eurostar i do not know. There is no airtravel from Belgium airport. All this untill 22 hours tonight.

 

[TheSeeker]

On my way home last night the guard announced that some trains would be running today, mostly to bring strikers into Brussels. I think this is pre-arranged with the unions and SNCB staff. Luckily I've been given permission to work from home today.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

That's worrying, I am off on Eurostar.

 

[Groningen]

If there was a cancelation of a Eurostar they have said it on Twitter. 1 in 2 IC trains run in Belgium; especially the peak trains are hit.

 

[MarcVD]

On my way home last night the guard announced that some trains would be running today, mostly to bring strikers into Brussels. I think this is pre-arranged with the unions and SNCB staff. Luckily I've been given permission to work from home today.

Not at all. By law, belgian rail workers have to déclare whether or not they will strike, 72 hours in advance. With that info, SNCB management must put in place à transport plan taking in account the ressources they have, and publish it 24 hours in advance. Nation wide, 50 % of the trains operated. Lines and trains operating were known in advance to all. It was clearly devised to offer a transport solution for as many as possible people working in Brusels and Antwerp. There was no strikers transport organized at all, because there was no demonstration organized in Brussels. Fake news are everywhere...

 

[TheSeeker]

It was clearly devised to offer a transport solution for as many as possible people working in Brusels and Antwerp.

Thanks for the information. I didn't realise it was so well organised by SNCB. In previous strikes the only people on trains were strikers heading for Brussels. I assumed the same thing would be happening again.

 

[Groningen]

Fake news are everywhere has to be fake news is everywhere of course.

 

[gysev]

Fake news are everywhere has to be fake news is everywhere of course.

And "Belgium Airport" should have been Belgian airports...

 

[Groningen]

It has nothing to do with fake news. Indeed Belgium has only 2 real airports: Charleroi and Zaventem.

 

[gysev]

It has nothing to do with fake news. Indeed Belgium has only 2 real airports: Charleroi and Zaventem.

My answer had more to do with your remark on spelling...

Besides that: are the airports at Antwerp, Oostende and Liège not real enough for you? Freight traffic is also important you know...

 

[swt class 450]

Belgium has five Airports as follows:

• Antwerp
• Brussels
• Charleroi
• Liege
• Ostend

I would say all of them are "real airports" in my opinion. They are all served by scheduled international flights.

 

[MarcVD]

Thanks for the information. I didn't realise it was so well organised by SNCB. In previous strikes the only people on trains were strikers heading for Brussels. I assumed the same thing would be happening again.

When there is a large demonstration organized in Brussels by the unions and/or the left wing political parties, the belgian railways never go on strike, in order to move all that people.

 

[Groningen]

Charleroi is for cheap travel and Zaventem for international connections. Liege is for most for freight. Oostende and Antwerpen have no real importance.