Belgian news in brief, 8 May 2006

Plane safety checks to stay at Zaventem

Sabena Technics is trying to maintain its activities at Zaventem Airport in the wake of last week’s hangar fire. Its maintenance activities are being transferred to other hangars at the Brussels international airport. Friday’s fire destroyed hangar 40 in which the firm’s HR, accounting and engineering administration is carried out, plus also technical activities. The administration will be transferred to hangar 38 and airplane maintenance to shed 8, which was still being brought up to standard on Sunday. The shed was expected to be operational in the next few days. Sabena Technics said some activities might temporarily be carried out in France until shed 8 is operational.

1 in 3 Belgians fear foreign workers

Almost a third of Belgian employees fear a flood of foreign workers entering the domestic jobs market, a survey by temping agency Randstad has revealed. Some 4,000 people were asked about possible threats to employment in Belgium. The most common fears were the relocation of activities away from Belgium and high labour costs. But fears that immigrants would ‘steal’ local jobs was particularly high among lower-educated workers.

SN Brussels resumes Kigali flights

SN Brussels Airlines will resume flights to Kigali in Rwanda on Tuesday. Flights were suspended at the end of February after Rwandan authorities grounded an SN Brussels flight for three days at Kigali Airport. Talks with the Rwandan authorities have now resolved the dispute. SN Brussels will fly to Kigali twice each week.

Subject: Belgian news