Proposed overnight ban on 777 at Brussels Airport withdrawn

The Flemish government has withdrawn the proposed ban on overnight 777 flights from Brussels-Zaventem Airport, Belga News Agency based in Belgium reported. The instruction had ended a decade-long exception that allowed DHL to operate its 777 freighter aircraft at night despite exceeding the maximum noise limits under the instruction. ""We are pleased that we can continue to fly with the 777F during the night at Brussels Airport,"" a DHL spokesperson said to Airline Economics. ""The 777F is the quietest and most modern wide-body freighter on the market. ""We hope that the new Belgian government will find a permanent solution to this issue, as the 777F has proven over the last 10 years that this type of aircraft reduces noise pollution around the airport. It speaks for itself that DHL remains committed to finding the right balance between economic interests and the environment around Brussels Airport, and in our opinion the 777F is certainly part of that balance."" The 2024 Belgian regional elections were held in June with the liberal party losing to right-wing party New Flemish Alliance. An investigation into the dispute was launched by the Flemish government in August. DHL operates night time flights at the airport on the 777, which the outgoing federal mobility minister Georges Gilkinet had apparently sent out new instructions in secret that would prevent such operations. Outgoing Flemish minister Ben Weyts had proposed looking into the dispute. The order had been drafted by Gilkinet a few days after Belgium's June federal elections, Weyts said. DHL had been exempt from night flight regulations due to the 777 aircraft being a ""relatively large"" aircraft that can fly more quietly and does not have to be fully loaded. According to the agency, Weyts said: ""DHL would have to replace the Boeing 777s with aircraft such as the Airbus A300. This is a smaller aircraft and therefore has to be loaded much more heavily. The noise pollution from this type of night flight can be 60% higher."" Weyts had called for a conflict of interest against the directive to be declared by the Flemish government. With the conflict of interest approved, the directive will be suspended for a consultancy period.