The Belgian government has suspended a proposed night-time ban on Boeing 777 freighter operations at Brussels National Airport, pending further consultations, which would have affected AeroLogic and DHL Express.
The proposal, initiated by outgoing transport minister Georges Gilkinet due to noise pollution concerns, faced strong opposition from the Flanders regional government and raised fears about increased noise from older aircraft.
AeroLogic, a joint venture between DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo, was specifically cited as being impacted by the ban, leading to political intervention by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in response to public backlash.
DHL expressed satisfaction with the suspension of the ban, highlighting the Boeing 777F as the most modern and quietest freighter, and reiterated its commitment to balancing economic interests with environmental concerns surrounding Brussels Airport.A DHL Group statement said: “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.”
