Charleroi Airport flight cancellations rise amid air traffic controller strike

Air traffic controllers at Charleroi Airport in Belgium are conducting a strike that could impact up to 832 flights and 160,000 passengers through October 10. The industrial action, organized by Skeyes, involves night shifts from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM and centers on a dispute over night shift pay differentials compared to colleagues at Liège Airport.

On Monday, September 21, the strike resulted in the cancellation of 34 flights and the rescheduling of 21 others. The disruptions have significantly affected routes connecting Belgium to Spain, specifically impacting Ryanair connections between Brussels-Charleroi and Santander. Other affected routes include connections to Madrid, Barcelona, and Málaga.

In an attempt to resolve the conflict, Skeyes has proposed a financial package. This includes a structural increase of 10,000 euros gross per year per controller starting in October 2028, linked to the implementation of a new digital control tower. Additionally, the company has offered four separate bonuses tied to the progressive stages of the digital tower's operational rollout. Unions have not yet accepted the offer, which they currently consider insufficient.