While Charleroi Airport (BSCA) has always had a reputation among Belgian residents for being difficult to get to – especially using public transport – the last two days have taken that situation to the next level.
Security personnel organised a strike for two consecutive days, rendering the airport practically inaccessible, as the traffic in the area was at a standstill and passengers were blocked from entering – resulting in many flights leaving empty or nearly empty.
This, however, leaves passengers in a difficult situation as not being able to access the airport is not something explicitly covered by regulations around air passenger rights.
"In theory, passenger rights regulations provide the right to a refund or additional compensation when a flight is cancelled. But that is not the case here, the travellers simply cannot board," a Test-Achats spokesperson said.
As refunds only have to be given if the airline is responsible for the cancellation or delay of a flight, airlines are not legally obliged to offer any kind of compensation and affected passengers were virtually helpless.
Still, a solution was found for Ryanair customers last night: the airline decided to offer alternative flights or refunds to passengers who were unable to present themselves at the BSCA boarding gate on Monday and Tuesday.
Today, there is much less ambiguity. The announcement that Charleroi Airport is closed for departures results in all flights being cancelled, entitling passengers to refunds or alternative flights under the air passenger rights regulations.
So, did you miss your flight? Will you be able to get a refund? Let @Maajtee know.
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