Brussels South Charleroi Airport is getting ready for a busy couple of weekends: We are expecting 200,000 travellers for the beginning of the summer holidays
CHARLEROI, 27 June 2024 – The summer holidays are beginning this Saturday, first for schools in Flanders, followed by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. That means we’ll be seeing more people at Brussels-South Airport. The first two weekends will be particularly busy, with some 100,000 travellers passing through each weekend. With this increase in numbers, all of the airport’s employees and partners are getting ready to make sure everyone is as comfortable and safe as possible.
Almost 200,000 travellers in total, including lots of families, will be passing through Brussels-South Charleroi Airport during the first two weekends of the holidays, from 28 to 30 June 2024 and from 5 to 7 July 2024. Throughout the summer, around 33,000 passengers will be coming through the airport every day, with an average of 190 flights per day.
“It’s time for the great getaway for lots of people, whether that’s with family or friends,” explains a cheerful Philippe VERDONCK, CEO of Brussels South Charleroi Airport. “Our teams have been spending the last few weeks preparing to make sure that everything runs smoothly and our passengers can enjoy a positive, stress-free experience. Given the numbers we are expecting, we would like to remind travellers to arrive at the airport three hours before their flight.”
More than 200 destinations
B.S.C.A. offers an impressive range of more than 200 destinations, around fifty of which are exclusive to the airport. Varna, Kutaisi (Wizzair), Béziers, Pescara, Lodz, Asturias, Glasgow (Ryanair) and many more are only available from Brussels-Charleroi.
Volotea has brought back its seasonal route to Nice, with two flights a week. Air Corsica is also running its summer flights to Calvi twice a week up until 21 September 2024. This is in addition to the three destinations already available on the Island of Beauty, namely Ajaccio, Bastia and Figari.
B.S.C.A. is delighted to announce that Air Arabia Maroc will be offering more opportunities to travel to Oujda up until 13 September 2024. There will be two flights a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Pegasus Airlines is doubling the number of flights it is offering from B.S.C.A. this season. There are two flights a week now, allowing more connecting flights from its base in Istanbul.
Last but not least, this summer Ryanair will be offering travellers the chance to discover six new destinations: Cork (Ireland), Gothenburg (Sweden), Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Olbia (Sardinia, Italy), Dubrovnik (Croatia) and Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal).
Advice on preparing for your departure
In order to avoid any stress leading up to take-off, plan the different stages of your journey in advance for a trouble-free airport experience.
It is vital that you check that your ID documents are correct and valid (ID card or passport for every passenger, including children and babies). For some countries, you might need other documents. We therefore strongly recommend checking the travel requirements in advance with your airline or on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en.
You also need to make sure your hand luggage meets the necessary criteria, both in terms of the maximum dimensions and what liquids you are allowed, where the 100ml rule applies.
Getting to the airport
There are several different ways you can travel to Brussels South Charleroi Airport. If you’re travelling by car, the airport has more than 9,000 parking spaces, divided between six car parks, so there’s an option to suit everyone. We recommend booking online in advance to get the best price.
Shared transport is a convenient, stress-free alternative. Airport shuttle bus company Flibco.com connects Brussels-Charleroi Airport to a number of towns and cities in Belgium, Luxembourg, France and the Netherlands. It’s worth remembering that a bus between Maastricht and B.S.C.A., via Liège, will add another option between the airport and the Netherlands, starting on 4 July.
Lastly, you can also travel to the airport by train. Frequent TEC buses run between Brussels South Charleroi Airport and Charleroi-Central, Luttre and Fleurus stations.
At the airport
Comfort and the passenger experience are the top priorities at Brussels-Charleroi Airport.
The Plaza Princesse Astrid has recently had a comprehensive make-over, and now welcomes travellers and their companions in front of Terminal 1: the atmosphere here is bound to get you in the holiday spirit.
As well as the children’s play area, this summer there will be a number of different activities available, with something for everyone to enjoy before they set off on their well-deserved holiday.
To avoid queues at baggage check-in, automatic “Self Bag Drop” terminals have been set up in the departure lounge so that everyone can complete this step in no time at all using the Ryanair app downloaded onto their smartphone.
And to get your holiday off to the perfect start, the airport has lots of food and drink options, in particular the Food Court in Terminal 1, which opens on to an outdoor terrace with a view of the runway, as well as a number of shops.
During the two-month holiday period, more than 2 million passengers are set to travel through Brussels-Charleroi Airport. All of the airport’s staff and partners are doing everything possible to give them the best possible welcome.
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