Belgium is preparing for a major aviation shutdown as Brussels South Charleroi Airport plans to suspend all flight operations for 11 weeks in 2028.
The complete Charleroi Airport closure is scheduled from 15 August to 31 October 2028. During this period, no scheduled passenger aircraft will arrive at or depart from the airport.
The shutdown will allow workers to reconstruct the airport’s only operational runway. Around two million passenger journeys could be exposed to cancellations, temporary suspensions or transfers to alternative airports.
However, the estimate does not represent two million confirmed cancellations. Airlines have not yet published detailed schedules or replacement arrangements for the affected travel period.
Runway reconstruction requires a full shutdown
Brussels South Charleroi Airport cannot maintain normal passenger operations during the project because it does not have a second operational runway.
The planned work will be more extensive than routine resurfacing or overnight maintenance. Major sections of runway pavement will need to be removed and replaced.
The project is also expected to include drainage improvements, airfield lighting upgrades and other essential technical work. These activities will take critical parts of the airfield completely out of service.
The runway has not undergone a full reconstruction for nearly four decades. Although smaller repairs can normally take place during limited overnight windows, the scale of this project makes partial operations impractical.
Closing the airfield will give construction teams uninterrupted access to important infrastructure. It could also reduce the need for repeated temporary shutdowns during future maintenance programmes.
The overall project is expected to cost approximately €50 million. The reconstruction is intended to improve runway safety, reliability and long-term operational performance.
Passenger growth increases the disruption risk
Official Belgian aviation figures demonstrate the importance of Charleroi Airport to the country’s travel economy.
The airport handled 10,504,554 passengers in 2024. Passenger traffic then increased to 11,545,067 in 2025, representing growth of approximately 9.9%.
Aircraft movements also rose from 91,673 in 2024 to 98,980 in 2025. One aircraft movement represents either a take-off or a landing.
These figures show the intensive use of Charleroi’s single runway. They also explain why an 11-week suspension could affect a substantial number of travellers.
The airport has served more than 130 direct destinations, including several routes not available from other Belgian gateways. Its network has made Charleroi an important base for low-cost European flights, family visits and short international holidays.
Previous airport reporting classified approximately 50% of passengers as holiday or leisure travellers. Another 35% travelled to visit friends or relatives, while business passengers represented around 15%.
Therefore, the closure could have a particularly strong effect on leisure travel, personal journeys and European city breaks.
Airlines must decide whether to relocate routes
Every airline scheduled to operate through Charleroi during the closure will need to cancel, suspend or relocate its services.
Possible alternatives may include Brussels Airport at Zaventem, Liège Airport or airports in neighbouring countries. However, travellers should not assume that their flights will automatically move to another gateway.
Airlines must consider airport capacity, available slots, operating costs, aircraft positioning and ground-handling arrangements before confirming replacement schedules.
Brussels Airport will remain open because it is a separate facility and is not included in the runway reconstruction project. Its ability to accept displaced services will depend on available capacity.
The shutdown will begin during the later part of the summer holiday season and continue through autumn. It could therefore affect family holidays, school-break travel, weekend trips and business journeys.
Tourism businesses could face wider losses
Charleroi provides an important low-cost arrival point for travellers visiting Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and destinations across Wallonia.
Belgium will remain accessible through other airports, international railway services and road connections. The closure will not shut the country’s borders or prevent international visitors from entering.
However, some travellers may face longer airport transfers, additional rail or coach journeys and higher spending on parking, rental cars or accommodation.
Short-break visitors could experience the greatest inconvenience because longer transfers may reduce the time available at their destination.
Businesses surrounding Charleroi Airport may also record lower demand. Hotels, restaurants, parking operators, vehicle rental companies and local transport providers all benefit from passenger activity.
Meanwhile, businesses near alternative airports could receive additional demand if airlines transfer substantial flight capacity.
Passport and visa rules will remain unchanged
The runway reconstruction will not change Belgium’s passport, visa, residence permit or Schengen entry requirements.
Valid Belgian visas and residence documents will remain in force. Travellers will still be able to enter through another Belgian airport or an authorised land border.
However, passengers rerouted through another country must check the entry and transit rules applying to their revised itinerary.
A connection through a non-Schengen country could create additional documentation requirements for certain nationalities. Passengers should therefore review every transit point after receiving a confirmed replacement itinerary.
Travellers should await confirmed schedules
Passengers should avoid making expensive booking changes based only on early reports.
Detailed airline timetables will determine which routes are cancelled, temporarily suspended or transferred. They will also clarify whether passengers can receive refunds, rerouting or package holiday amendments.
Travellers planning Belgium trips between 15 August and 31 October 2028 should monitor formal updates from airlines, tour operators and transport providers.
The Charleroi Airport closure will make some journeys more complicated, but Belgium will remain open and accessible. The final tourism impact will depend on how airlines redistribute flights and how effectively alternative airports, railways and road services absorb displaced passenger demand.
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