Brussels Airlines adjusts flight schedule due to Ebola

Under pressure from the staff, Brussels Airlines is adjusting its flight schedule from today in order to avoid staff members having to spend the night in areas affected by the Ebola virus, confirm the company and trade unions.

Trade unionist Olivier Van Camp (BBTK) explained that the staff has no problem travelling to and from the affected areas, but with spending the night there. "At first, management did not respond to our request to provide a safe haven for the staff, but when some members threatened to stop flying to the countries in question, that opened the way for discussion."

Geert Sciot, spokesman for Brussels Airlines, denies that there was panic among the staff. "We discussed the staff’s concerns, and adjusted the flight schedule accordingly, as a preventive measure."

Until now, the crew of Brussels Airlines stayed near Monrovia, Liberia. But now, due to the outbreak of Ebola in that country, the crew will be redirected to a hotel in another West African country, "such as Gambia, Senegal or the Ivory Coast," said Sciot. It will require a technical stopover, and add an extra hour to the flights back to Brussels.