Encouraging progress in summer 2023!

communiqué de presse aéroport Charleroi

Charleroi, September 13, 2023

Brussels South Charleroi Airport, once again rewarded for its environmental commitment, has been awarded Airport Carbon Accreditation level 3 by ACI (Airport Council International) Europe. This accreditation programme evaluates and recognises the efforts made by airports to reduce their carbon footprint and therefore their greenhouse gas emissions.

ACA level 3 is based on optimisation and considers the reduction of the carbon footprint of the airport and its partners, who also have an impact on the airport's emissions. Indeed, it is also thanks to the airlines that are gradually modernising their fleets that the objectives can be achieved. Aircraft manufacturers seem to be confirming a 40% reduction in noise emitted by B737 max aircrafts, as well as a reduction in greenhouse gases of 25 to 30%.

BSCA is achieving these goals by upgrading the airport's infrastructure, thus fulfilling its commitment to the ACI Europe's "Sustainability Strategy for Airports" aiming for CO2 neutrality by 2050.

While 2022 ended with a net profit exceeding 10 million euros, and a total of 8.2 million passengers in transit having used our facilities of, it seems that this increase in passengers choosing to travel to and from Charleroi is also being confirmed this year. We recorded an average increase of 5% in passenger number in July and August compared with 2022, rising from 1.7 million in 2022 to 1.8 million in 2023. With over 942,027 passengers recorded, August is a record month for BSCA.

The most popular destinations for this summer period are Bucharest, with 51,668 departing passengers, followed by Milan, Manchester, Venice, and Budapest, while the most popular destination countries for our passengers are Italy with 377,085 departing passengers, followed by Spain, France, Romania and Portugal.

Moreover, in comparison with last year, an 18% increase in passenger numbers has also been recorded for the period from January to August;6,296,398 passengers have already chosen to travel from Charleroi airport this year, compared with 5,336,259 passengers for the same period in 2022. These exceptional results can be explained not only by the increase in the number of flights (+8% compared to 2022), but also by the significant rise in the aircraft load factor.

It should also be noted that the end of the pandemic, and the lifting of the last health restrictions in 2022, have strongly influenced this growth.

Ryanair, Wizzair and Pegasus are the airlines with the highest growth rate in Charleroi, and in the European market as a whole. Not only do these airlines offer low fares, but they also ensure that passengers arrive as close as possible to their final destination, thanks to the largest range of European destinations offered from Belgium.

In addition, Ryanair recently announced seven new destinations from Brussels South Charleroi Airport starting this winter: Nantes, Amman in Jordan, Cluj and Iasi in Romania, Milan-Malpensa in Italy, Tirana in Albania and Warsaw in Poland.

In recognition of the efforts of BSCA’s employees, who also suffered from the Covid-19 crisis, the BSCA Executive Board has granted them a CCT90 for 2022, which raises their annual remuneration from 13.92 to 14.6 times the monthly remuneration..

In collaboration with our social partners, this CCT90 will also be accompanied by a purchasing power bonus of around €750 paid to all employees in the form of consumption vouchers.

Brussels South Charleroi Airport also continues to support humanitarian projects. In line with its support policy, BSCA is proud to have supported:

  • Samilia Foundation, which works to combat human trafficking (info@samilia.org).
  • La maison du Bien-être of GHdC, a haven of peace in Charleroi for people fighting cancer (contact@ghdc.be).
  • Make a Wish association, which helps to grant the wishes of seriously ill children (contact@makeawishsud.be).

Art and culture also play an important role at the airport, with artists' exhibitions regularly being held to showcase the work of talented local artists.

Furthermore, in line with the airport's growth and its commitment to sustainable development, new positions are also being created and job vacancies are available within the airport. Further information can be found on our website: www.brussels-charleroi-airport.com/jobs.

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For more information, Mr. Philippe VERDONCK General Secretary, +32 71 251 922 or P.VERDONCK@charleroi-airport.com

About Brussels South Charleroi Airport

Brussels South Charleroi Airport is one of the two airports serving the city of Brussels and has won numerous awards for its service and infrastructure. Thanks to its operational experience and knowledge of the sector, BSCA enabled more than eight million passengers to fly in 2019 to over 190 destinations in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Brussels South Charleroi Airport has ten partner airlines, including Ryanair, Wizz Air, Pegasus Airlines, TUI fly and Air Corsica.