Ryanair cancels over 100 flights through Belgium, affecting 20,000 passengers

Disruption overview

Ryanair canceled more than 100 departures and arrivals scheduled through Belgium on 2 June 2026 after Belgian air traffic control staff launched an unannounced strike. The disruption centered on Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport and left around 20,000 passengers without flights. Travelers were offered refunds or free rebooking, but some faced waits of several days because aircraft were grounded with little warning and available seats were already limited. Because the strike involved air traffic control staff rather than the airline, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely, although passengers should still be offered rerouting or a refund and care while they wait.

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Disruption details

Ryanair's European network was hit on 2 June 2026 when an unannounced strike by Belgian air traffic control staff forced the airline to cancel more than 100 flights scheduled through Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport. For passengers, this meant sudden changes to travel plans right at the start of a busy early-summer travel period.

The cancellations affected both departures and arrivals and left an estimated 20,000 Ryanair passengers without flights. Because the stoppage began with almost no warning, aircraft already in position for the day's schedule had to stay on the ground, and later sectors were canceled as the disruption spread through the network.

The immediate impact included:

• More than 100 departures and arrivals were canceled through Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport.

• Around 20,000 Ryanair passengers were left without flights.

• Travelers were offered refunds or free rebooking, but some still faced waits of several days for the next available seats.

At both Belgian hubs, terminals filled quickly as the cancellations appeared on information screens. Travelers were told they could manage refunds or rebooking through Ryanair's app and website, but many found that the next open seats were not immediate because loads across the network were already high.

Ryanair said the vast majority of its 3,000-plus daily flights were still operating normally. Even so, concentrating so many cancellations at one point in the network created knock-on problems for connecting passengers, and for aircraft and crews that were due to operate onward services later in the week.

The disruption was linked to industrial action by Belgocontrol, also known as Skeyes, rather than Ryanair staff. That puts the cause outside the airline's direct control. Ryanair said it was working with airport authorities to secure alternative slots and reposition aircraft while its operations teams prioritized same-day reaccommodation where possible.

Some passengers may still face longer waits. No end date has been announced, and travelers booked to fly to, from, or over Belgium have been told to monitor flight status alerts closely before heading to the airport. The airline has also urged customers to make sure their travel insurance covers industrial action.

Flights were also rerouted around Belgian airspace, which added pressure elsewhere in the network. Ryanair's tightly scheduled point-to-point operation leaves little spare capacity during peak travel periods, so even a disruption centered on one country can affect later services once aircraft and crews fall out of position.

If your flight was affected, it's understandable to feel frustrated. Under EC 261, compensation is usually unlikely when a cancellation is caused by an air traffic control strike outside the airline's control. Even so, you should still be offered rerouting or a refund, and if you're left waiting the airline should provide care such as food, refreshments, communication support, and accommodation where an overnight stay is needed.

Although compensation is unlikely here, that doesn't mean you're without support. If you want to understand what applies to your journey, you can use AirHelp's free flight checker to review your options.

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