Hallo iedereen, bonjour tout le monde!
It's Maïthé Chini back in the Belgium in Brief saddle today, giving you an overview of what's happening on our front page.
As the end of the Easter holidays is coming up in Belgium's Dutch-speaking education system and many people will be returning to Brussels after some time off, I wanted to draw your attention to an important flight-related article by our reporter Rita Alves.
Rita reported the story of a Brussels Airlines passenger – an Estonian national called Piret Mårtensson – who says she was forced to pay €355 for a new ticket when her return flights were cancelled, after she was incorrectly marked as a "no-show" on a flight to Brussels last month.
She insists she was not a "no-show" and did, in fact, fly from Tallinn to Brussels, via Frankfurt. Mårtensson says that everything went according to plan and they arrived in Brussels on time.
However, the next day she was informed that her return ticket had been cancelled, because she had supposedly not boarded her initial flight to Brussels.
What followed were multiple days of calls and interactions with customer services to resolve the situation, but to no avail. The whole experience, she says, made her feel invisible.
To find out what happened, read Rita's article here. And if something similar happened to you, please don't hesitate to contact us.
In other news, the minds of many Belgian residents are on the Federal Government and whether or not they will agree on targeted energy support measures for the population tomorrow.
As a result of the conflict in the Middle East, gas and oil prices have been rising sharply – something that is becoming particularly clear at the pump.
Now, Friday has been dubbed "the moment of truth" by MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez, who said his party would block the government's other work if no support measures are taken.
However, Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) has repeatedly made it clear that there is "no money" for broad support measures, although he did leave the door open for some "limited, temporary and targeted" steps.
Here's an overview of everything that's on the table. Whether all those measures will actually be implemented tomorrow is another story entirely. Stay tuned, I'd say.
This support is especially important in the face of the latest figures from the Health and Wellbeing Observatory published in the 2025 Wellbeing Survey, which found that a quarter of Brussels residents faced the risk of poverty last year.
In just two years, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Brussels rose by a quarter. In 2025, 23% of Brussels citizens were at risk of poverty. You can find more details in this article here.
Lastly, you can find Aoife White's overview of family activities to do in Brussels this weekend. Come rain or shine, she's got you covered.
And as always, if you have any comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, please feel free to drop me an email at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
See you later!
Maïthé Chini
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. ‘Moment of truth’? Belgium to decide on targeted energy support on Friday
In the face of rising fuel prices, Prime Minister Bart De Wever is not bursting with enthusiasm over plans to introduce targeted energy support, but he has left the door open. Read more.
2. ‘I felt invisible’: Woman forced to pay for a new return flight after Brussels Airlines labels her a ‘no-show’
Piret Mårtensson claims she had to pay €355 for a new ticket when her return flights were cancelled after being incorrectly marked as a 'no-show’ on a flight to Brussels. Read more.
3. Extreme poverty in Brussels climbs by over 25% in two years
Six of Belgium’s ten poorest municipalities were situated in the Brussels-Capital Region. Read more.
4. Brussels for kids: What to do with your family this weekend – 18 to 19 April
Spring weather is notoriously unpredictable, but come rain or shine, we've got you covered for kids' events in Brussels this weekend. Read more.
5. Brussels club launches ‘Enzo Cup’ in memory of little boy who died after being hit by a bus
"It will be a day to come together, share experiences, and keep Enzo’s memory alive through our common passion," said football club AS Saint-Gilles in a statement. Read more.
6. Fire destroys iconic Belgian singer’s mural in Brussels
A fire broke out at dawn on Wednesday, severely damaging the barracks in Annie Cordy Park in Laeken. Read more.
7. Belgium’s oldest woman dies at home aged 110
Denise Waelbers died at the age of 110 in her apartment near Antwerp. Read more.
