Flights could be disrupted after Brexit, the transport secretary has admitted, but he said the EC would be to blame for not starting talks on a deal to keep planes in the air. Chris Grayling said that disruption was “unlikely” but that talks to secure an aviation agreement had not yet started with only 5 months to the date of Britain’s departure. He added: “That process is not in our hands.” Grayling said there was “no way that flights will stop” between the UK and the EU, but there appeared to be a marked change in tone from previous speeches in which he had described planes being grounded after Brexit as inconceivable. Grayling said: “It is theoretically possible that EASA could refuse or delay the certification of UK-certified planes. I think it is highly unlikely.” <br/>
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Thousands of passengers at Brussels Airport suffered a fifth day of flight cancellations as baggage handlers and management of Aviapartner failed to resolve a dispute over working conditions. Brussels Airport said that 130 of a total of 630 planned flights had been cancelled, bringing the total of cancellations since Thursday evening to 660, a spokeswoman said. Unions and management of Aviapartner broke off talks Sunday evening, but were due to meet again Monday. The baggage handlers are complaining that they are under too much pressure at work because of a shortage of staff. The strike, which had not been called by unions in advance, was set to continue until at least Tuesday morning. Aviapartner deals with baggage for 29 airlines in and out of Brussels Airport, but not Belgium's main carrier, Brussels Airlines. <br/>