Air traffic controllers' strike in Belgium to continue through October 10: Ryanair cancels flights

A strike by air traffic controllers at Brussels South Charleroi Airport has already caused widespread flight cancellations and may affect the schedule through October 10, 2026. Employees of the Belgian provider Skeyes are striking every night from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., and Ryanair is canceling some of its evening and morning flights from Charleroi. On the first night of the protests alone, 44 flights were canceled, directly affecting more than 7,000 passengers. According to Skeyes’ estimates, the strike could affect a total of about 832 flight operations.

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Why are air traffic controllers in Charleroi on strike until October 10?

The protest stems from a protracted conflict between the management of the Belgian air traffic control provider Skeyes and air traffic controllers over night shift premiums. Previous negotiations failed to yield results, so the employees announced a series of night strikes at Brussels South Charleroi Airport. The strikes are scheduled daily from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., starting September 16 and continuing until the morning of October 10, 2026.

The dispute has been ongoing for several months. Skeyes previously reported that employees were demanding a significant increase in the night shift premium, and negotiations were taking place as part of a conciliation process. However, the parties never reached a final agreement, which led to a new wave of protests.

Charleroi Airport itself is not a party to the labor dispute, but it is directly feeling the consequences. The management of Brussels South Charleroi Airport has called on Skeyes and employee representatives to resume negotiations as soon as possible, emphasizing that the strike affects not only passengers but also airlines, airport staff, and other companies operating on its premises.

The problem for passengers is that the ten-hour nighttime work stoppage by air traffic controllers disrupts the entire flight schedule. Planes that cannot land in Charleroi in the evening may not be back at their home base the next morning. As a result, cancellations and delays can affect even flights scheduled outside the official strike hours.

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When will the strikes take place, and which Ryanair flights might be affected?

Nighttime air traffic controller strikes in Charleroi are scheduled daily from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. through October 10, 2026. Evening arrivals, late departures, and early morning flights the following day are at the highest risk.

Due to disruptions in aircraft rotation, delays may also affect flights that are formally scheduled outside of strike hours.

As early as September 16, Ryanair canceled about 30 flights due to the start of protests in Charleroi. In total, the first wave of cancellations affected dozens of flights, and the airport warns that the schedule may change throughout the entire strike period.

Ryanair’s routes between Charleroi and dozens of European cities are at risk. Among the destinations mentioned in reports of possible disruptions are Manchester, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Bucharest, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, and Stockholm. However, there is no fixed list of cancellations as of October 10: decisions are made based on the specific situation on a given day.

As of September 18, the airport continues to operate a significant portion of Ryanair’s morning schedule. The schedule includes flights to Marseille, Milan, Warsaw, Cluj-Napoca, Helsinki, Kraków, Valencia, Bari, Palermo, and other cities. This means that the strike does not equate to a complete closure of the airport; however, passengers should check the status of their specific flight immediately before departure.

Those with tickets for late-evening or early-morning Ryanair flights should be especially vigilant. Even if a flight initially remains on the schedule, its departure time may change due to the unavailability of an aircraft or crew following overnight disruptions.

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How many flights and passengers might be affected by the strike?

The scale of potential disruptions at Charleroi is significantly greater than the number of flights already canceled. According to estimates by the Belgian air traffic control provider Skeyes, overnight strikes through October 10 could affect 832 flight operations. This includes 487 morning flights and 345 night flights. At the same time, the actual number of cancellations will depend on whether the parties can reach an agreement sooner and how airlines adjust their schedules.

The first effects are already being felt. Brussels South Charleroi Airport confirmed 44 canceled flights between September 16 and 8:00 a.m. on September 17 alone, directly affecting more than 7,000 passengers. Among them were Ryanair flights to Ibiza, Madrid, Venice, Bologna, Manchester, and Stockholm, and some of the morning flights the following day also had to be removed from the schedule.

According to Travel Extra’s estimates, if the strikes continue as scheduled throughout the entire period, the disruptions could potentially affect up to 300,000 passengers. However, this figure is a projection, not a confirmed number of travelers with already canceled tickets.

The situation is complicated by the so-called rotation effect. If a plane cannot return to Charleroi in the evening due to a strike, it will not be at the base the next morning to operate a new route. That is why a single nighttime disruption can cause a cascade of delays and cancellations the following day, even after the strike itself has ended.

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What should you do if your Ryanair flight is canceled or delayed?

Passengers flying through Charleroi through October 10 should check their flight status not only the day before but also immediately before heading to the airport. Due to overnight strikes, schedule changes may appear quite late, and issues with aircraft rotation can affect morning flights the following day.

If Ryanair cancels a flight, under EU regulations, passengers have the right to choose one of the following options: a refund of the ticket price, an alternative route to their destination, or rescheduling the trip to a later date under certain conditions. If the alternative flight involves a long wait, the carrier must also provide the necessary assistance, including meals and, if necessary, overnight accommodations at a hotel.

Before traveling, passengers should:

1. Check the flight status in the app or on the Ryanair website

2. Keep an eye on emails and text messages from the airline

3. Do not rely solely on the original departure time listed in the booking

4. Keep any cancellation or delay notifications, boarding passes, and receipts for additional expenses

5. In the event of a cancellation, immediately check available options for rebooking or a refund

A separate issue is financial compensation under EU Regulation 261. Air traffic controller strikes are considered events beyond the airline’s control and may be recognized as extraordinary circumstances. In such cases, standard compensation for cancellation or long delays may not be paid. At the same time, the airline must prove a link between the strike and the specific flight disruption, as well as demonstrate that the problems could not have been avoided even after taking reasonable measures.

Even if there is no entitlement to additional compensation, the right to a refund, an alternative route, and necessary assistance remains. Therefore, passengers should not automatically waive their claims simply because an air traffic controllers’ strike is cited as the reason for the cancellation.

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We remind you! Popular European tourist destinations are becoming increasingly crowded, so travelers are looking for alternatives without the crowds. In 2026, attention is turning to countries that remain off the beaten path but offer unique experiences, affordable prices, and an authentic atmosphere. Read more about 5 European countries that are rarely visited by tourists.

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