Ryanair cancels 100 flights as Belgian air-traffic-control walk-out hits Irish passengers

Thousands of Irish travellers faced last-minute disruption on 2 June after a sudden “wildcat” strike by Belgian air-traffic-control agency Skeyes forced Ryanair to ground around 100 services to and from Brussels Zaventem and Charleroi. The Irish carrier said almost 20,000 passengers were affected, including holiday-makers departing Dublin, Cork and Shannon as well as business commuters booked on same-day returns. Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary condemned the action as “illegal” and renewed calls for the European Commission to introduce minimum-service rules that would protect over-flight routes during industrial disputes. The airline said it received zero notice, leaving scheduling teams scrambling to re-accommodate travellers or issue refunds under EU261 compensation rules. Other Irish carriers, including Aer Lingus Regional, rerouted aircraft via Amsterdam and Paris, creating knock-on delays across the evening bank of trans-Atlantic departures from Dublin. Business-travel managers warned that the timing—coinciding with end-of-quarter client meetings across the Benelux region—could trigger significant project costs. Many companies activated contingency plans, booking Eurostar services from London or remote-meeting alternatives.



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Logistics groups reported urgent freight consignments being diverted to Luxembourg and Cologne, adding up to 24 hours’ transit time for high-value medical and tech components headed to Irish plants. The strike, which ran from 14:00 to 21:00 local time, halted all take-offs and landings in Belgian airspace, a reminder of how third-country labour disputes can quickly snarl Ireland’s connectivity. Dublin Airport urged passengers connecting through Brussels to re-check itineraries, while travel-risk consultants advised corporates to build extra resilience into itineraries during Europe’s busy summer labour-action season. Although operations resumed overnight, Ryanair said a limited schedule would continue on 3 June while aircraft and crews reposition. The carrier reiterated its petition for the EU to permit other ATC providers to manage Belgian airspace during strikes—a proposal likely to meet stiff resistance from labour unions but one that industry bodies such as Airlines for Europe (A4E) argue is essential for safeguarding the bloc’s single market in aviation.