Brussels airport, a major European travel ⁣hub, fully reopened on Wednesday, May 15th, 2025, after being partially⁢ shut down for several days due to extensive damage caused by a severe storm. The storm, which swept across Belgium on May 11th, 2025, brought torrential⁣ rain and gale-force winds, leading to flooding,⁢ power outages,⁢ and⁢ important structural damage to airport infrastructure.

The initial closure affected departing flights on May 11th, and arriving flights were considerably curtailed.While ⁣some limited operations resumed ⁤on May 12th and 13th, the full restoration of services was hampered by the scale of the repairs needed, particularly to the roof of Pier A, a critical section‍ of the airport.

The Storm and Initial Impact

The storm that impacted Brussels Airport was categorized as a “code red”‍ weather event by the Belgian meteorological institute, the Royal Meteorological institute of Belgium (RMIB). Wind gusts reached speeds exceeding 140 km/h (87 mph) in some areas, and rainfall totals surpassed ⁤50mm (2⁣ inches) within a few hours. ⁤ The RMIB had issued warnings 24 ‍hours prior to the storm’s arrival, but the intensity‍ exceeded initial forecasts.

The most significant damage occurred to ⁢the roof of Pier A, where panels ⁤were torn off by the wind, leading to water ingress and structural concerns. Power outages also affected several airport ⁣systems, including baggage handling and flight facts displays. ⁢The airport authority, brussels ‍airport company, instantly activated its emergency response plan.

Recovery Efforts and ‍Reopening Timeline

Repair crews worked around the clock to ⁢assess and repair the damage. The priority was to secure the Pier A roof and restore essential airport systems. brussels airport company collaborated wiht construction firms and engineers to implement temporary ⁣fixes,allowing for a phased reopening. ⁢The use of ⁣drones for structural inspections significantly expedited the assessment process.