On Feb 5th 2026, a SAS Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A320-200N, registration SE-ROM, began its takeoff roll—not on the assigned runway—but on a parallel taxiway at Brussels Airport, forcing a high-speed rejected takeoff that ended just short of a critical airport facility.
Flight SK-2590, bound for Copenhagen with 165 people on board, had been cleared for departure from runway 07R while taxiing along the outer taxiway (Out-10). Instead of lining up on the runway, however, the aircraft mistakenly positioned itself on parallel taxiway E1 near the intersection of Outer 10/C6, C5 and E1/Z.
At 22:03 local time (21:03Z), the crew commenced a rolling takeoff along taxiways E1–F2–V1. According to Belgian investigators, the aircraft accelerated normally until the 100 KIAS callout, at which point the crew recognized the misalignment. By then, the jet had already reached 126 KIAS. The pilots immediately rejected the takeoff, applying maximum braking and deploying thrust reversers.
The aircraft decelerated and came to a stop on the paved surface adjacent to the taxiway edges near the intersection of taxiways V1 and C1, just before the pavement narrowed and shortly before the airport’s fuel tank area. Emergency services responded as a precaution.
Passengers disembarked directly onto the taxiway and were transported by bus back to the terminal. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft did not sustain any damage. The flight was cancelled, and passengers were rebooked onto alternative services.
The airport confirmed that the aircraft had initiated its takeoff roll on a taxiway instead of runway 07R. On Feb 13th 2026, the Belgian Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) stated that the occurrence has been classified as an incident and remains under investigation. SAS has indicated it is fully cooperating with authorities.
Taxiway takeoffs are rare but serious events, typically involving breakdowns in situational awareness, signage interpretation, or airport lighting cues. In this case, the crew’s decision to reject the takeoff at high speed likely prevented a far more dangerous outcome, as the aircraft was approaching a narrowing section of pavement not designed for departure operations.
