Five aircraft approaching Brussels Airport were disrupted by laser beams aimed at cockpit crews on Friday night and into Saturday morning, in a rare cluster of incidents that prompted police attention and a safety warning from Belgian air navigation provider Skeyes. The first report came at 21:45 and the last at around 02:43, with pilots landing safely despite the interference.
The aircraft were on final approach over the Dilbeek area west of Brussels, and local police sent a patrol after being alerted, although the source could not be pinpointed. Skeyes spokesperson Kurt Verwilligen confirmed the incidents, while authorities appealed for witnesses. Laser illumination of aircraft is treated as a criminal offence in Belgium because it can blind or disorient pilots during landing.
The number of reports was unusually high for a single night. Skeyes recorded 169 laser incidents across Belgium in 2025, an increase of 80% from the previous year, underlining that the hazard remains persistent around Belgian airspace. Police also found no evidence linking the episodes to the controversy over Brussels Airport’s new approach route.