U.S. airlines cancel Brussels flights after bombings

U.S. airlines canceled flights to Brussels after bombings at that international airport halted flights, and prompted tighter security across Europe and in New York City.

Brussels airport had 397 flight cancellations by 8:30 a.m., according to Daniel Baker, CEO of FlightAware.com, which tracks flights. Brussels Airlines was the hardest hit, with 173 cancellations for 96 per cent of their daily schedule, Baker said.

“The U.S. should not be significantly impacted since there are only a handful of daily flights between the U.S. and Brussels,” Baker said. “Jetairfly’s daily flight to Orlando departed before the attack. Flights operated to the U.S. by Delta, United, American, and Brussels Airlines were canceled.

“Flights from the US to Brussels would not leave until this evening, so it is unclear what the situation will be,” Baker added.

United canceled four flights, Delta two and American one, according to FlightAware.

American Airlines canceled flight 751 from Brussels to Philadelphia. The airline said it would make new arrangements for those travelers.

The airline reported no injuries to its workers because the explosions didn’t occur at its check-in location in the departure hall. The airline is offering alternative travel plans for passengers booked Tuesday and Wednesday to request a refund, choose another airport or rescheduled their flight through April  5.

United Airlines flight 950 arrived in Brussels from Washington Dulles at 7:01 a.m. and travelers deplaned normally at the gate, the airline said. But a second flight, 999 from Newark, was rerouted to a remote location, and travelers were deplaned.

All remaining flights to and from Brussels have been suspended until further notice from local authorities, United said.

“The United family is deeply saddened by the tragedies in Brussels earlier today, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” the airline said in a statement.

Delta Air Lines also offered to change flights for Tuesday and Wednesday through Sunday without any penalty.

Brussels authorities have closed the international airport and shut down the entire metro systems after two explosions blew out the departures area at the airport and a second explosion hit a metro station. The Belgian prosecutor has said a suicide bomber committed the airport attack.

Lufthansa, the German airline, said 2,000 travelers affected by its 25 canceled flights to Brussels. Two flights from Frankfurt and Munich, which had been on their way to Brussels, have been rerouted to Liege or Cologne, the airline said.

France deployed an extra 1,600 police and gendarmes at borders and transportation facilities, according to Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.

In the U.S., the New York City Police Department is closely monitoring the situation in Belgium and has deployed additional counter-terrorism resources across the city, according to Peter Donald, a department spokesman. These teams have been deployed to crowded areas and transit locations around the city out of an abundance of caution to provide police presence and public reassurance as we closely follow the developing situation overseas, he said.

In Washington, D.C., Metro subway police deployed more canine teams for patrols as a precaution, but not because of a credible threat to the system.

The Transportation Security Administration didn’t immediately announce stricter security measures, but officers at airport checkpoints are typically on higher alert after international incidents.

Wole Shadare