Air transport across Belgium has been suspended following an unexpected strike by air traffic controllers.
Following the strike, hundreds of flights are interrupted at five major airports in the country.
The strike began at noon (local time) and is expected to last until 7 p.m. (local time), stranding thousands of passengers. The airports affected include Brussels Airport (Zaventem), Charleroi Brussels South Airport, Antwerp Airport, Liège Airport and Ostend-Bruges Airport.
Airport officials asked travelers not to come to the terminal. According to the official statement: “All flights between 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. will unfortunately have to be canceled by the airlines. Please do not come to the airport if you are traveling between 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
At Charleroi airport, operations are suspended from 2:15 p.m. and all departing and arriving flights are canceled. Those whose flights are scheduled after 9 p.m. are advised to check their flight status on their respective airline’s website.
Ryanair, the main operator of Charleroi airport, described it as an “illegal wildcat strike”, which resulted in the cancellation of more than 100 Ryanair flights, affecting some 20,000 passengers. Flights between London Heathrow and Brussels by British Airways, as well as Brussels Airlines and Wizz Air, were also disrupted.
The strike was triggered by a conflict between management and unions over the installation of a digital control tower in Namur. Controllers are concerned about the security of the new system and its effects on society.
Airlines are offering refunds or rebooking options to affected passengers. For real-time updates, passengers are advised to contact the carrier directly and view updated flight operations details.
