Air traffic to and from Belgium comes to a standstill around 2 pm on Tuesday due to industrial action by Belgian air traffic controllers at Belgian air traffic control agency Skeyes. Brussels Airport has confirmed the news. Air traffic controllers struck at Skeyes early this morning, but flights resumed around 9.30 AM.
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Air traffic to and from Belgium at a standstill from 2 PM on Tuesday due to air traffic controllers’ strike
Colin Clapson
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According to Brussels Airport, this afternoon’s strike will last until 7 PM tonight. The industrial action at Skeyes is linked to negotiations between management and trade unions about the new digital control centre for Liège and Charleroi airports. That air control centre will be located in Namur (Wallonia).
Skeyes manages air traffic to and from Belgian airports and airspace up to an altitude of approximately 7,500 metres. Aircraft overflying Belgium at higher altitudes are managed by Eurocontrol that is unaffected by the strike.
Like this morning’s action, this is an unscheduled strike. It is not yet clear how significant the impact on air traffic will be.
Around 200 flights cancelled at Brussels Airport
Around 200 flights are set to be cancelled at Brussels Airport. Brussels Airport is asking travellers with flights scheduled between 2 PM and 7 PM not to come to the airport. “The airlines will have to cancel all scheduled flights,” Brussels Airport says.
Affected travellers will also be contacted by their airline.
‘Our teams are doing everything they can to find solutions for our travellers,’ says Brussels Airlines. ‘We deeply regret the disruption these actions are causing our passengers and staff, especially as the actions are taking place without prior notice. We understand the inconvenience and uncertainty this creates for thousands of travellers.’
Brussels Airlines has had to divert some incoming flights to Paris and Frankfurt. Some flights will only be able to depart after 9PM.
Scores of flights have been cancelled at Charleroi. Ostend-Bruges, Antwerp and Liège are all hit too.
Ryanair has cancelled 100 flights to and from Brussels and Charleroi affecting the journeys of 20,000 passengers.
For more information on flights, please visit the websites of Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport .
Why are the air traffic controllers agrieved?
“On Monday, a preliminary agreement was reached with one union secretary,” but “the text was never put to the rank and file,” says an air traffic controller who wishes to remain anonymous. “Nor is that text supported by the rank and file.”
There appears to be a great deal of discontent among the staff.
“The new digital system we are supposed to start working with is not secure enough,” says the air traffic controller. “The fact that we have to start working in Namur also has a major social impact on the staff. The transitional measures proposed by Skeyes are insufficient. In addition, there are a number of long-standing issues that remain unresolved: for instance, there is a problem with the scheduling of work shifts, and staff in the control towers at the various airports are not paid equally."
Staff would in future be based at the new digital air traffic control centre in Namur, but would remain responsible for their “own” airport.