Skeys Air Traffic Controllers Launch Nightly Strikes at Charleroi Airport

Air traffic controllers from skeys launched a series of nightly strikes at Charleroi Airport on September 16, 2026. The industrial action is scheduled to continue daily from 22:00 to 08:00 through October 10, 2026, with the airport estimating that approximately 800 flight movements could be affected.

Ryanair, which maintains a large fleet at the hub, faced immediate disruptions on the first day of the strike. The airline cancelled 14 rotations starting at 16:10 on September 16 and eight early departures scheduled for September 17.

The dispute centers on compensation for night work. Controllers argue they receive no specific night allowance despite managing delayed aircraft after official closing times. Skeys maintains that the airport is officially closed overnight and asserts that current shift allowances already exceed 1,000 euros.