Brussels South Charleroi Airport, Belgium's second-largest airport, will shut down for nearly three months in 2028, disrupting flights for Ryanair and Wizz Air passengers from the UK and across Europe. The closure, scheduled from August 15 to October 31, 2028, is for a major runway resurfacing project costing €50 million (£42.8 million).
In 2024, Charleroi served over 10 million passengers, with its busiest route to Bucharest, Romania, carrying 343,858 travelers. Other key destinations include Tirana, Vienna, Sarajevo, Sofia, Zagreb, Prague, and Barcelona, all served by Ryanair, which has a base there. Wizz Air also operates from Charleroi to Skopje, Warsaw, Bucharest, Budapest, and Pristina, while Air Arabia and Air Corsica offer seasonal flights to Oujda, Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi, and Figari. Notably, there are no direct flights to London from Charleroi; the UK capital is served by Brussels Airport, which is operated by Brussels Airlines and British Airways.
What the closure means for passengers and airlines
The runway, measuring 3,200 metres, will be completely resurfaced as part of the SOWAER-led project, which also includes other major infrastructure modernisation works. According to reports in The Sun, all existing flights will need to be diverted, though interim plans are still limited. Trade unions have expressed concerns about whether all current routes will return after the closure, questioning the long-term viability of the airport's operations.
The closure raises questions about airline slot regulations. Like London Heathrow, Charleroi operates under the EU's 'use-it-or-lose-it' policy, requiring airlines to maintain at least 80% of their take-off and landing slots to keep them. This rule, designed to minimise congestion, was waived during the pandemic when airlines couldn't fulfil slots due to lockdowns. However, exceptions exist for airport closures, which may allow airlines to retain their slots despite the temporary suspension of traffic.
A spokesperson for Charleroi Airport told Metro: 'A complete refurbishment of Charleroi Airport's sole runway, together with other major infrastructure modernisation works, has been scheduled by SOWAER for the second half of 2028. These investments are intended to ensure the airport's long-term safety, operational performance and attractiveness. To minimise the overall duration of the disruption, the various construction projects will be carried out simultaneously. This will require a temporary suspension of air traffic during the works. We are currently working closely with all stakeholders to plan these projects, identify operational constraints and manage their impacts.'
Almería Airport in Spain to close for six days
In addition to Charleroi, Almería Airport in Spain will temporarily close for six days in 2028 to accommodate a new and improved runway. The closure will ground all flights, impacting easyJet's direct routes from London Southend and Gatwick, which take approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. The airport serves the Andalusia region, accommodating around 800,000 passengers annually, and is a gateway to tourist destinations like Seville, Granada, and Malaga. In 2023, approximately 2.65 million Brits visited the region, yet Almería remains relatively under-explored compared to its neighbours.
Other recent European airport closures
Charleroi is not the only airport closure announced this year. Last month, Coventry Airport in the West Midlands closed its doors after 90 years of service. Once a hub for Wizz Air flights to Poland and Italy until 2008, it later served only the Air Ambulance Service and private charter flights, leading to its closure. The airport's runway was even visited by Pope John Paul II in 1982, who arrived by helicopter.
Additionally, Alderney Airport in the Channel Islands, the first and only airport in the islands when built in 1935, will close for a significant runway revamp. The runway will be widened from 18 to 23 metres, keeping its 877-metre length, with resurfaced taxiways and updated lighting systems to improve operations in poor weather conditions.
These closures highlight the ongoing need for infrastructure investment in European aviation, but they also pose significant challenges for airlines, passengers, and local economies that depend on air connectivity.
