Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) will fully halt all departures and arrivals on March 12 due to a nationwide 24-hour general strike called by Belgium's major trade unions, including FGTB/ABVV, CSC/ACV, and CGSLB/ACLVB.www.euronews.comwww.thetraveler.orgwww.traveltourister.comwww.visahq.com The airport cited a critical lack of staff for safe operations during the protests against pension reforms and wage policies, marking a complete shutdown rather than partial disruptions seen in prior actions.www.travelandtourworld.comwww.brusselstimes.com This decision affects thousands of passengers, with airlines required to notify those impacted by March 10 for rebooking or refunds.

The strike extends chaos to Belgium's aviation sector, with nearby Brussels Airport (BRU) cancelling all departing flights while bracing for arrival delays and diversions.www.visahq.com Charleroi, a key hub for low-cost carriers, handles significant daily traffic, potentially stranding up to 35,000 travelers across both airports combined. Public transport, including rail and metro, faces parallel reductions, complicating access even before and after the walkout.

Passengers are urged to check airline updates immediately, as ripple effects may disrupt schedules into March 13, though EU261 compensation is unlikely for this extraordinary circumstance while care duties like meals apply. Similar 2025 strikes caused widespread cancellations, underscoring the action's potential scale.