BRUSSELS — The noise from jet engines at Brussels Zaventem Airport is creating a significant disturbance, particularly at night, and this issue is entangled in Belgium's regional and governmental conflicts.

The Flemish regional government, which oversees the airport near the Belgian capital, renewed its environmental permit in March. This new permit does not impose any restrictions on weeknight flights and only gradually introduces a "quiet weekend nights" scheme.

Local residents and some politicians are outraged. On Tuesday, Belgium's Superior Health Council, which advises the national government, supported a ban on night flights. Before the pandemic, the airport had over 230,000 flights annually. Although air traffic dropped during COVID-19, it has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, making the noise problem comparable to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, where the Dutch government is also under pressure to reduce flights.

In 2023, 16,284 flights took place between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. at Brussels Airport, primarily cargo flights using older, noisier aircraft. The Health Council's report stated that about 160,000 people around the airport are at increased risk of health issues from excessive noise, such as sleep disorders, learning difficulties, high blood pressure, and depression. In 2019, residents experienced more than 10 noisy overflights per night, leading the Health Council to recommend a complete ban on landings and takeoffs between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. to ensure at least seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.

The Flemish environmental permit acknowledges the noise issue but does not address it promptly. The proposed quiet weekend night scheme will start in summer 2025, allowing only low-noise planes to land between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. from Saturday to Monday. However, health experts argue that truly silent aircraft are not feasible in the near future and that early morning flights significantly disrupt sleep quality.

Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, who initiated the noise study in 2022, supports reducing night flights gradually but systematically, starting with the noisiest aircraft. He emphasized the need for residents to sleep without disturbance.

However, this call for fewer flights conflicts with the airport's economic significance. Zaventem Airport claims it reduced noise impact by 57 percent between 2000 and 2019 and plans to do more. The airport argues that night flights are essential for cargo operations and maintaining its passenger network.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo highlighted the airport's economic importance, noting that it is the second-largest contributor to the national economy after the port of Antwerp, supporting 64,000 jobs and contributing 2 percent to the GDP. He mentioned that more than 350 companies are connected to the airport.

The Green Party, with Brussels Regional Environment Minister Alain Maron, is the most vocal advocate for residents' sleep and plans to challenge the Flemish government's permit in court. However, this legal action is not supported by the entire Brussels regional government, as the Liberals, represented by Finance Minister Sven Gatz, oppose it due to the airport's role as a major employer of low-skilled Brussels residents.

The report concludes that the airport's location near regional borders and the complex nature of Belgian politics make resolving the noise issue challenging.