Brussels South Charleroi Airport this summer: ran at 35% capacity

During the last two months of the summer, Brussels South Charleroi Airport welcomed 572,589 passengers, so 65% fewer travellers than in 2019. The number of commercial flights fell by 49%. 9,524 flights were recorded in 2019, compared with 4,849 this summer. This reduction is connected to the complexity of the current situation, as well as to the travel restrictions in place.

Brussels South Charleroi Airport ran at 30% capacity compared with last July. 240,900 passengers crossed the airport’s tarmac. During August, the airport recorded 331,689 passengers. The figures for August saw the airport run at 41% capacity. Among these travellers, 45% were represented by departures (148,477 passengers), compared with 55% for arrivals (183,212 passengers).

In July, 1,984 commercial flights ran, so 42% of capacity compared with July 2019. The number of flights rose in August. 2,865 flights were recorded this year, compared with 4,757 in August 2019, so a fall of 40%. In total, during the course of these two months, the airport recorded 4,849 flights (compared with 9,524 commercial flights in July/August 2019). In this respect, Brussels South Charleroi Airport ran at 51% of its capacity, compared with the same period last year.

Philippe VERDONCK, Chief Executive Officer of Brussels South Charleroi Airport, explains: “The aviation industry has been hit hard, and the travel restrictions currently in force are having a huge impact on our activities. The complexity of the situation does not encourage people to travel. These factors and the uncertainty associated with travel are having a negative impact on the figures recorded by everyone in the industry. We can only hope that the situation will become more stable soon, so that travel becomes easier whilst maintaining high levels of safety and quality.”