Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Brussels on Tuesday to protest against the government’s planned budget cuts, causing major disruption to air traffic and public services.

At Belgium’s biggest airport in Zaventem, all departing flights were cancelled due to the walk-out of security staff, and several arriving flights were also annulled, the airport announced.

No flights will arrive or depart from the country’s second biggest airport in Charleroi, the airport’s website says.

Local public transport in all three regions of the country was also affected, with less than half of all planned buses, trams and metros running, Belgian news agency Belga reports.

Garbage collection and postal services were being disrupted, Belgian media reported.

Railway operator SNCB, however, added more trains to Brussels to enable demonstrators to reach the capital.

SNCB, or the National Railway Company of Belgium, is the national railway operator for passenger transport in Belgium.

Three major labour unions, the liberal CGSLB, Christian CSC and leftist FGTB, have jointly called for a “national demonstration” against changes to pensions and unemployment benefits as well as declining purchasing power.

Police have strongly advised against travelling to Brussels by car due to road closures and the expected influx of protestors.

(dpa/NAN)