U.S. airlines cancel Brussels flights after bombings

U.S. airlines canceled travel to and from Brussels on Tuesday after terror attacks at the Belgian capital's international airport and a metro station halted flights and prompted tighter security across Europe and in major U.S. cities.

Nearly 400 flights at Brussels airport were canceled by 8:30 a.m., according to Daniel Baker, CEO of flight tracking site FlightAware.com.

United canceled four flights, Delta two and American one, according to FlightAware. Flights to the U.S. by Delta, United, American and Brussels Airlines were also canceled. Brussels Airlines was the hardest hit, with 173 cancellations, about 96% of its daily schedule, Baker said.

"The U.S. should not be significantly impacted since there are only a handful of daily flights between the U.S. and Brussels," Baker said. "Flights from the U.S. to Brussels would not leave until this evening, so it is unclear what the situation will be."

Brussels authorities closed the international airport and shut down the entire metro system after two explosions blew out the departures area at the airport and a third blast hit a metro station.

Jeh Johnson, secretary of Homeland Security, said the Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection vet travelers against a terrorist database, even when arriving from a country like Belgium that doesn't require visas with the U.S.

"We continually evaluate whether more screening is necessary, particularly in light of today’s attacks," Johnson said.

TSA is deploying additional security to major city airports, and air rail and transit stations around the country. The department is also taking a number of other steps "that are not suitable for public disclosure," Johnson said.

Global airlines waive fees in wake of Brussels attack

United Airlines flight 950 arrived in Brussels from Washington Dulles at 7:01 a.m. and travelers deplaned normally at the gate, the airline said. A second flight, 999 from Newark, was rerouted to a remote location. All remaining flights to and from Brussels have been suspended until further notice from local authorities, United said.

“The United family is deeply saddened by the tragedies in Brussels earlier today, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” the airline said in a statement.

Delta Air Lines flight 80 from Atlanta to Brussels landed safely and was parked remotely for passengers to deplane. Delta flight 42 from New York diverted to Amsterdam. Delta offered to change flights for Tuesday and Wednesday through Sunday without any penalty.

"As part of running a global airline, our teams are in constant contact with authorities in Brussels and were able to immediately go into action this morning on behalf of our employees and our customers," said Ed Bastian, incoming CEO.

American Airlines canceled flight 751 from Brussels to Philadelphia and said it would make new arrangements for those travelers. The airline reported no injuries to its workers. American is offering alternative travel plans for passengers booked Tuesday and Wednesday to request a refund, choose another airport or reschedule their flight through April 5.

German airline Lufthansa said 2,000 travelers were affected by its 25 canceled flights to Brussels. Two flights from Frankfurt and Munich, which had been on their way to Brussels, have been rerouted to Liege or Cologne, the airline said.

Kevin Burke, CEO of Airports Council International-North America, said airports work closely with TSA and law enforcement to protect travelers by constantly evaluating and enhancing security.

"North American airports take every threat seriously and apply a rigorous, comprehensive, multi-layered, risk-based approach that provides effective aviation security while providing for the efficient movement of passengers and goods," Burke said.

Contributing: Kevin Johnson and Maya Vidon