Friday’s demonstrations are mainly aimed at planned VAT increases and measures against Belgium’s annual automatic wage increases.
In addition to grounded flights and disruptions to bus and train services in French-speaking parts of the country, many schools and universities have also been affected.
Further protest actions are planned for Monday.
The situation is particularly tense in the city of Liège, where schoolchildren have staged demonstrations this week, inspired by events in France. In response, police banned gatherings of more than three people in certain parts of the city centre on Thursday, with the ban in effect until October 16.
