Destinations, flights, and services at Bruxelles Sud Charleroi airport

The Brussels South Charleroi Airport modernises its infrastructure through the installation of an airfield lighting system composed almost exclusively of LEDs on the runways and taxiways. This technology dramatically improves flight-path precision during take-offs and landings while ensuring pilots have better visibility and enhanced safety for all passengers. By replacing old equipment, the airport reduces its energy consumption by 80 to 85% while optimising maintenance of the facilities. This new system secures flight operations to European and Mediterranean destinations served from the Belgian tarmac. It also enables air traffic controllers and crews to work under optimal conditions, even during peak periods. Through this investment, the Belgian airport strengthens its reliability and appeal to airlines. Thanks to this next-generation lighting system, Charleroi combines a high level of safety with energy efficiency to prepare for the future of its air traffic.

The Belgian Council of Ministers has approved the financing of air traffic control services for 2026, provided by skeyes, the public operator responsible for managing the airspace. The arrangement keeps airline charges stable while ensuring the continuity and safety of traffic at Belgium’s main airports, including Zaventem, Charleroi and Liège. Part of the budget is also allocated to reducing noise pollution and environmental impact around the airports, in line with European sustainability objectives. The adopted framework thus strikes a balance between competitiveness, safety and respect for the environment for Belgian aviation in 2026.

The Belgian federal government is standardising the departure tax at €10 per passenger, regardless of the flight, compared with €5 currently for most medium- and long-haul routes. This measure is expected to bring nearly €140 million a year into the federal budget. In parallel, the municipality of Charleroi plans to introduce, from 2026, a municipal tax of €3 per passenger departing from Brussels South Charleroi Airport, with annual revenue expected to reach around €15 million. Airlines were quick to react, including Ryanair, which warned that the move could undermine the competitiveness of Belgian airports, arguing that higher costs could lead to capacity cuts or even the cancellation of certain routes. For travellers, these taxes are expected to be passed on to ticket prices, with a long-haul round-trip flight potentially costing up to €18 more once the federal tax, VAT and distribution fees are combined. By increasing the cost of air travel, Belgium risks weakening some of its regional airports and diverting part of the traffic to foreign hubs. This fiscal tightening poses a challenge to the country's air connectivity, at a time when European competitors are pursuing more traveller-friendly policies.