Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Brussels as part of a national strike over government reforms and spending cuts that has brought flights to a halt and severely disrupted public transport.
Belgium's three big unions are protesting over pensions and other measures by Prime Minister Bart de Wever's centre-right government aimed at cutting the budget deficit.
There were no services at Belgium's second biggest airport at Charleroi, and all departures and many of the arrivals were cancelled at Brussels Airport.
Although trains were running, most buses, trams, and underground trains in the capital ground to a halt.
Shipping at Europe's second biggest port Antwerp was suspended until Wednesday because of understaffing, with more than 100 ships waiting in the North Sea for permission to dock at three ports, according to Belgium's MDK maritime and coastal services.
Belgium has been hit by a series of strikes since Bart de Wever took office last February, with officials reporting around 80,000 protesters joining the demonstration by midday.
Public sector workers were protesting against austerity measures and a government increasingly perceived as leaning right. Many wore the red or green colours of the main unions.
A key issue for the unions is the government's plan to increase the number of days Belgians work per year before they can receive their pensions, as well as the end of special schemes for several sectors including military and railway workers.
De Wever's government has also announced measures including a maximum two-year limit on claiming unemployment benefits, with further cuts planned for next year's budget.
Anaïs, a demonstrator, expressed frustration over the burden of austerity, highlighting that it always seems to affect the same group of people.
Holding a placard that opposed raising the pension age, she voiced her concerns for the future of work conditions under the current government.
Many other protestors echoed these sentiments, worried about how further cuts would impact their families and future generations.
While the protests remained largely peaceful, there were reports of vandalism and clashes with police at times, reflecting the deep-rooted frustration among the population.
