Charleroi Airport: skeyes air traffic controllers' night strikes suspended from 23 September 2026 for mediation (were planned until 10 October)
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Air traffic controllers employed by skeyes at Brussels South Charleroi Airport went on strike every night from 22:00 to 08:00 from Wednesday 16 September 2026, under a notice covering 24 nights up to Saturday 10 October. The action was called by the SLFP/VSOA and CSC unions after talks with skeyes failed.
Suspended since 23 September: on Wednesday 23 September the unions suspended the strike with immediate effect so that talks could resume with a mediator. Charleroi Airport says flights have operated normally since Thursday 24 September; the strike notice remains in effect until 10 October. In total 322 flights were cancelled. As of 5 October there was still no agreement.
What was affected
- Flights scheduled to land or take off between 22:00 and 08:00 — mostly Ryanair, which bases a large fleet at Charleroi. Late-evening arrivals and early-morning departures were the most exposed.
- On the first day, Wednesday 16 September, Ryanair cancelled 14 rotations from 16:10 onwards (including Bucharest, Brindisi, Ibiza, Palma, Madrid, Venice, Bologna, Prague, Turin, Manchester, Stockholm, Tirana and Palermo) and 8 early flights on Thursday 17 September between 06:25 and 07:20 (Helsinki, Valencia, Barcelona, Kaunas, Budapest, Cluj-Napoca, Pisa, Venice).
- Some daytime flights were also cancelled or moved because of the night stoppages.
Why
The dispute is about pay for night work. Controllers say they receive no specific night allowance although the airport lets delayed aircraft land after its official closing time; skeyes says the airport is officially closed overnight and that the existing shift allowance already exceeds €1,000.
Advice
If the action resumes before 10 October, check your flight status with your airline before travelling to the airport, especially for departures before 08:00 or arrivals after 22:00.
This alert was originally created on 16 September 2026.
Public Impact
Airport
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Effective Dates
Updates
Oct 11, 2026
✎ Update
The period covered by the strike notice, 16 September to 10 October, has ended. The night strikes had been suspended since 23 September while mediated talks took place.
Sep 29, 2026
⏸ Suspended
The nightly strike at Charleroi Airport was suspended on 23 September 2026 to allow mediated talks to begin, and overnight flights resumed from the night of 23 to 24 September.
Sep 26, 2026
⏸ Suspended
The nightly air traffic controllers' strike at Charleroi Airport was suspended on 23 September 2026 to allow mediated talks with skeyes, and flights have been running normally again while the notice remains on hold.
Sep 24, 2026
⏸ Suspended
The skeyes controllers' night strike at Charleroi Airport was suspended with immediate effect on 23 September 2026 to allow mediated talks, and flights resumed normally from the night of 23 to 24 September.
Sep 24, 2026
⏸ Suspended
Suspended: the unions halted the night strikes on 23 September 2026 to allow talks with a mediator. The strike notice until 10 October is on hold, not withdrawn.
Sep 23, 2026
✎ Update
The strike is suspended. On Wednesday 23 September the skeyes unions halted their nightly action with immediate effect to give mediated negotiations a chance, as proposed by the federal mobility minister; the night of 23 to 24 September was the first without a stoppage and flights at Charleroi are running normally again. The strike notice running to 10 October is on hold rather than withdrawn, so the action could resume if the talks fail. In total 322 flights were cancelled between 16 and 23 September.
Sep 22, 2026
✎ Update
The unions rejected skeyes' offer on Monday 21 September, saying it fell short of what had been discussed on Friday on the key points; they want night-shift premiums brought into line with those paid to controllers at Liège and say they will keep striking every night until there is an agreement. No new meeting is scheduled. Charleroi Airport expects 46 cancellations on Tuesday 22 September, with 14 more flights moved to daytime slots; more than 200 flights have been cancelled since the action began on 16 September.
Sep 22, 2026
✎ Update
Federal mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke has proposed independent mediation between skeyes and the unions, on condition that the strike is suspended while it takes place. Charleroi Airport expects 42 cancellations on Wednesday 23 September and 14 flights moved to daytime slots. Around 300 flights have been cancelled since the night strikes began on 16 September.
Sep 21, 2026
✎ Update
The night strikes continue into their sixth night. On Sunday 20 September skeyes sent the unions a written offer: an extra 10,000 euros gross a year per controller from October 2028, tied to its digital-tower plan, plus bonuses worth another 10,000 euros over 18 months. Management says talks can resume only if the strike is suspended; the unions have not answered and no meeting is scheduled. Charleroi Airport expects 34 flights to be cancelled on Monday 21 September, with 21 more moved to daytime slots; around 160 flights have been cancelled since 16 September.
Sep 19, 2026
✎ Update
Fourth day: the airport expects 46 cancellations on Saturday 19 September, the highest daily figure so far, after 42 on Friday. Evening arrivals after 22:00 and departures before 08:00 remain the flights affected. No talks are scheduled.
Sep 18, 2026
✎ Update
Third day: 42 flights are cancelled at Charleroi on Friday 18 September (21 departures and 21 arrivals). There are still no talks scheduled between skeyes and the unions.
Sep 17, 2026
✎ Update
Second day of the night strikes: around 40 flights are cancelled at Charleroi on Thursday 17 September (18 in the morning, a further 24 expected in the evening). For Friday 18 September the airport has already confirmed at least 18 cancelled morning flights (9 departures and 9 arrivals) and expects more to be added during the day. No new talks are scheduled: the Walloon airports minister has asked skeyes and the unions to return to the table, while the federal mobility minister says the dispute is outside his remit. Passengers with departures before 08:00 or arrivals after 22:00 should check their flight status before leaving for the airport.
Organizers
- SLFP/VSOA
- CSC
Affected Locations
- Charleroi (Brussels South Charleroi Airport)
Sources
- https://www.air-journal.fr/2026-09-15-aeroport-de-bruxelles-charleroi-les-controleurs-aeriens-annoncent-24-nuits-de-greve-5277503.html
- https://www.lavenir.net/regions/charleroi/charleroi/2026/09/16/greve-chez-skeyes-voici-les-liaisons-ryanair-annulees-ces-mercredi-et-jeudi-a-laeroport-de-charleroi-DZFNMMH5ZBE3RC77JLWHQRUKU4/
- https://www.aviation24.be/air-traffic-control/skeyes/charleroi-air-traffic-controllers-to-launch-series-of-night-strikes/
- https://www.rtbf.be/article/greve-chez-skeyes-de-nouvelles-annulations-de-vols-a-prevoir-a-l-aeroport-de-charleroi-ce-vendredi-11786482
- https://www.lalibre.be/economie/entreprises-startup/2026/09/16/greve-chez-skeyes-ce-litige-ne-releve-pas-de-ma-competence-repond-crucke-a-neven-2A7BYFV2INDHTCGTEZQQOF4XO4/
- https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/mobilite/2026/09/17/greve-une-quarantaine-de-vols-supprimes-a-laeroport-de-charleroi-vendredi-FZXVN33P2ZCTLDCGRJ33SZXYXY/
- https://www.rtbf.be/article/greve-des-controleurs-aeriens-a-charleroi-l-aeroport-prevoit-la-suppression-de-46-vols-samedi-si-la-greve-perdure-11787073
- https://www.lavenir.net/actu/belgique/2026/09/20/greve-chez-skeyes-une-proposition-concrete-et-substantielle-soumise-pour-mettre-fin-au-conflit-a-charleroi-LYE53K4FOBDHDAX7K2SEB5LLP4/
- https://www.lalibre.be/economie/conjoncture/2026/09/20/greve-chez-skeyes-laeroport-de-charleroi-sattend-a-supprimer-34-vols-ce-lundi-ROPRXZNQYRE2RJQYWRJL3EYVIA/
- https://www.lavenir.net/regions/charleroi/2026/09/21/la-greve-se-poursuit-a-charleroi-les-syndicats-de-skeyes-rejettent-la-proposition-de-la-direction-SY7NK7C3HRBG7FPCOFGJLO77XM/
- https://www.dhnet.be/actu/belgique/2026/09/21/greve-chez-skeyes-laeroport-de-charleroi-prevoit-la-suppression-de-46-vols-mardi-3CM7PJQ34ZCATHE3HWSM7LTLB4/
- https://www.rtbf.be/article/aeroport-de-charleroi-quarante-deux-vols-supprimes-ce-mercredi-23-septembre-11788975
- https://www.lavenir.net/actu/belgique/2026/09/23/greve-chez-skeyes-les-syndicats-suspendent-leurs-actions-a-charleroi-et-laissent-une-chance-a-la-concertation-AVYUEF2KAZEG3F34FILNUYVBEA/
- https://www.lavenir.net/regions/charleroi/charleroi/2026/09/23/greve-chez-skeyes-322-vols-annules-a-laeroport-de-charleroi-durant-la-greve-des-controleurs-aeriens-MACKDIULMBHEZDE33NZX4SXN3Q/
- https://www.brussels-charleroi-airport.com/en/social-action-skeyes-update
- https://www.rtbf.be/article/skeyes-les-syndicats-suspendent-leurs-actions-de-greve-a-charleroi-11789236
- https://lalibre.be/economie/entreprises-startup/2026/10/05/malgre-le-conflit-social-skeyes-recrute-des-controleurs-aeriens-cest-le-plus-beau-metier-du-monde-LALMDAARKVESXCMX6YPC7AU444
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