Move

BELGIUM | Flight shame? Airports break records during 2025 summer season

Posted by Timothy on

On Monday 28 July 2025 , Brussels Airport recorded its highest number of passengers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Around 48,000 people boarded a flight, while 44,000 arrived, De Morgen reported. The surge in travellers was attributed to the end of Tomorrowland, the traditional changeover weekend, and the final days of the construction industry’s summer holiday.

Charleroi Airport also experienced severe overcrowding on Sunday 27 July 2025. The influx of passengers overwhelmed security staff, leading to queues extending outside the terminal building. Travellers were advised to arrive three hours before departure.

From flygskam to full departure halls

This resurgence in air travel stands in stark contrast to the atmosphere just a few years ago. In 2019, the concept of ‘flight shame’—the guilt associated with flying when more sustainable alternatives exist—was widely discussed. 

Known in Swedish as flygskam, the term gained international attention following public commitments by figures such as Greta Thunberg and Swedish athletes to stop flying. The movement encouraged travellers to consider the environmental impact of air travel, which emits significantly more CO₂ than trains or buses per passenger.

In Sweden, the idea led to a measurable drop in domestic flights and a surge in train travel. That lead to tågskryt or ‘train bragging‘.

Domestic air travel fell by 9% in 2019, while national rail bookings on key routes doubled. Airlines responded by cancelling some short-haul flights, and the revival of international sleeper trains received strong public and political backing.

Limited uptake in Belgium

In Belgium, however, the impact of flygskam was far more muted. A 2019 WES study found that 28.4% of Belgians had changed their flying habits due to climate concerns, and 10% had stopped flying altogether. 

But these figures didn’t translate into widespread behavioural change. By 2024, only 7% of Belgians opted to travel by train for their holidays, up modestly from 4% in 2019.

One of the main obstacles to change is price. Train tickets in Belgium remain expensive, often costing 2.6 times more than a comparable flight—and in some cases up to 15 times more. Journey time is another factor. A train trip to Austria, for example, can take nearly sixteen hours, a commitment not every traveller is willing to make.

Motivation and perception gaps

Motivation psychologist Maarten Vansteenkiste of Ghent University argues that while climate-related guilt may briefly influence behaviour, lasting change depends on deeper internal values. He believes that many people still underestimate the CO₂ impact of a single flight and that flight shame or climate anxiety only serve as short-term motivators. Long-term shifts will require people to recognise the importance of sustainable travel on their own terms.

Transport economist Wouter Dewulf of the University of Antwerp agrees that flight shame never took deep root in Belgium. 

He observed notable differences between his Belgian and Northern European students. According to Dewulf, Belgians may have talked about flight shame, but they rarely adjusted their behaviour.

Leisure flights drive aviation growth

Despite pandemic disruptions, air travel is growing steadily once again. Passenger numbers in Europe are increasing by 2 to 3% annually. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts a global rise in air travel demand of 5.8% in 2025. This growth is not driven by business travel—which declined significantly due to remote work—but by a surge in leisure flights.

Southern destinations such as Spain, Italy and Greece top the list of preferred holiday spots for Belgian travellers. Ironically, these are also the countries where climate-related events such as wildfires have become more frequent during the summer months.

Charleroi and Brussels Airport plan for expansion

Belgium’s two main airports are responding to rising demand with ambitious expansion plans.

Charleroi Airport handled 10.5 million passengers in 2024—five times more than twenty years ago. The current terminal is struggling to manage the volume, but a new operating licence from the Walloon Government now permits an expansion aimed at handling up to 16 million passengers annually. The authorisation comes with the condition that the airport must reduce night-time noise.

Brussels Airport also received a new operating permit last year. Although it was annulled in court, the decision remains in effect until 2029. The permit caps annual take-offs and landings at 240,000 and includes requirements to limit environmental and noise pollution. Nevertheless, the airport expects to handle around 32 million passengers per year by 2032, compared with just under 24 million in 2024.

Environmental questions remain

These developments raise broader concerns about the sustainability of continued aviation growth. Dewulf points out that some airports have already reached their maximum capacity. Environmental concerns are likely to intensify as air traffic increases. The Dutch government has already intervened at Schiphol Airport, mandating a 4% reduction in flights this year.

Efforts such as developing quieter aircraft, investing in sustainable aviation fuel, and applying environmental surcharges may help soften the impact of rising flight numbers. 

But Vansteenkiste believes the root of the problem lies elsewhere. People are increasingly eager to go on holiday, regardless of how they travel. He suggests that society needs to reflect more deeply on the underlying reasons behind this constant demand for rest and escape.

Some tourism statistics

On tourism