Wildcat Strike at Charleroi Airport

[Segedunum]

This morning, staff at Charleroi Airport have gone on strike, blocking the runway and making it impossible for any flights to operate:

Sept 12 (Reuters) - All flights to and from Belgium's Charleroi airport, a major hub for budget airline Ryanair (RYA.I), opens new tab, were cancelled on Thursday as the airport's employees went on strike. Almost 200 flights were cancelled after employees had unexpectedly walked out onto the landing strips at the airport south of Brussels in the morning. Labour union CNE told Belgian newspaper De Tijd it was a wildcat strike, as unions were still in the process of organising their action they had announced last week.

It seems that industrial relations were already bad and notice had been given previously that strike action was to happen (potentially) from Sept 19, but something has boiled over here. They gave notice of a strike yesterday but staff have simply walked off the job entirely (I believe it was previously expected that a limited number of flights could run).

Joyously, it's been confirmed that as neither side has communicated today, the strike will simply continue tomorrow:

This movement of discontent will continue on Friday, we learned at midday. Indeed, the common union front indicated that in the absence of a conciliation, "the three union bodies have unanimously decided to continue the strike this Friday, September 13."

The exact impact of Friday's strike is not yet known. A consultation meeting will take place tomorrow morning at 8am.

Though, another source suggests that anything could yet happen:

The union front reportedly told RTBF at midday on Thursday that, unable to reach a conciliation, "the three union bodies unanimously decided to continue the strike on Friday, September 13." This information we have not been able to confirm. The minister in charge, Cécile Neven, summoned unions and management to her office on Thursday, again according to RTBF.

So the airport could resume service, or workers could continue the strike this Friday. At this stage, all possibilities are on the table.

I'm meant to fly to Charleroi for a weekend away tomorrow evening, with a separate hotel pre-paid. Basically, I think I'm rather screwed. I've had a look at alternatives from anywhere to anywhere in the vicinity and the best I can find is £85 to fly to Amsterdam - but Amsterdam to Charleroi is a bit of a schlep by train, then there's the uncertainty of what happens on Sunday morning.

I don't know if this has happened before or if anyone has a little more knowledge than I do - but is this likely to just continue on and on or could we see a miraculous breakthrough of some kind?

 

[Watershed]

Can't comment on the industrial relations side of things, but in terms of practicalities would LNER & Eurostar be an alternative? Or if not, a flight (possibly with a connection) to Brussels' main airport, Zavantem?

The likes of Ryanair and Wizz Air might publicly tell you they "won't" reimburse costs for other companies' flights/trains but if they can't offer a same-day alternative, CAA guidance is for them to rebook onto "OAL" as it's known. And so if push comes to shove, they can and will be forced to cough up through the Ombudsman services they are signed up to.

 

[Segedunum]

Can't comment on the industrial relations side of things, but in terms of practicalities would LNER & Eurostar be an alternative? Or if not, a flight (possibly with a connection) to Brussels' main airport, Zavantem?

The likes of Ryanair and Wizz Air might publicly tell you they "won't" reimburse costs for other companies' flights/trains but if they can't offer a same-day alternative, CAA guidance is for them to rebook onto "OAL" as it's known. And so if push comes to shove, they can and will be forced to cough up through the Ombudsman services they are signed up to.

The cost versus the original outlay (about £170 for flight and hotel) just wouldn't be worth it. IIRC there was a Eurostar for £134 (then add on say £50 for LNER down to London). A direct flight to Brussels when I last checked was £267. Had there been some kind of notice, I would have probably gone for the Amsterdam option as flights would have likely been a little cheaper.

Apparently the 8am meeting tomorrow will determine what happens. My flight isn't until 6pm (and uses a Manchester-based plane) so hopefully there's some kind of positive outcome.

French-language media is full of stories of families stuck abroad or having to pay colossal amounts to get home, so being £168 out of pocket (minus the £46 refund I suppose if the flight is binned) isn't the worst thing that could have happened.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Sep 2024 ==

As an update - Ryanair have binned my flight and given me the option to rebook from anywhere to anywhere at no extra cost. As I was heading to Manchester anyway (and have booked a train) I've settled on Berlin and then booked a hostel for £50 for two nights. I basically have one day of an Interrail pass to use so that's still an acceptable base!

Not an ideal situation (as the hotel is still non-refundable), but I think this is the least worst outcome without booking with other carriers/modes and fighting for compensation. Hopefully the situation at Charleroi is fixed soon.