A wildcat strike by air traffic controllers at Skeyes forced Belgian authorities to close national airspace on June 2, 2026, from 2 pm to 9 pm local time, disrupting flights across the country [1, 2]. Brussels Airport canceled around 200 flights between 2 pm and 7 pm, while Charleroi and Liège airports also experienced significant cancellations and delays [1, 2].
The strike began late on June 1, causing disruptions at Charleroi and Liège airports overnight. Charleroi canceled 30 passenger flights, and about 40 cargo flights were impacted at Liège [1, 2]. At Brussels Airport, roughly 25 departing flights faced delays of one to two hours, and two inbound flights were diverted to alternative airports [1]. DHL's freight operations across Belgium were also negatively affected by the strike [1].
Skeyes, Belgium's national air navigation service provider, attributed the shutdown to opposition from air traffic controllers against the planned introduction of a digital control tower in Namur. The digital tower aims to centralize air traffic control operations for Liège and Charleroi airports beginning in 2027 [1, 2].
Brussels Airport stated, "Due to a wildcat strike at air traffic controller Skeyes there is no air traffic possible in Belgium between 2 pm and 9 pm on Tuesday 2 June." Normal air traffic operations were expected to resume after 9 pm [2]. The strike halted departures and arrivals nationwide, creating widespread logistical challenges across passenger and cargo travel sectors.
