Overview
- Skeyes air traffic controllers launched a wildcat walkout that began at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2 and stopped all takeoffs and landings in Belgian airspace for a seven-hour window.
- Brussels Airport reported about 140 flights affected and Ryanair said roughly 100 of its flights were canceled, disrupting nearly 20,000 passengers and prompting airlines to offer refunds or rebooking.
- The dispute centres on plans for a digital control centre in Namur that would centralize tower functions for Liège and Charleroi and has raised staff concerns about safety, staffing levels and job security.
- Skeyes controls traffic up to roughly 7,500 metres so the shutdown hit national departures and arrivals while higher-altitude overflights handled by Eurocontrol continued, creating knock-on delays across Europe.
- Negotiations between management and unions remain ongoing after staff rejected a preliminary deal, leaving the risk of further unscheduled action and continued travel disruption for passengers and carriers.