Brussels Airlines submitted a lawsuit demanding compensation by the trade union of the air traffic controllers. The Belgian airline achieved a court decision, according to which it receives the right to fine the trade union of the air traffic controllers for 10,000 EUR for each canceled flight in the EU and 20,000 EUR for each canceled international flight due to the strike.
“The court decision entered into force on Friday and will be valid until midnight on May 26. Financial compensation is also provided for the delay of the aircraft due to strikes for more than an hour”, says the statement.
The airline motivated this by the fact that the air traffic controllers’ strike was spontaneous, which caused serious damage to the passengers because the airlines did not have enough time to find acceptable alternative routes for them. The decision sets an important precedent, as strikes in the transport sector in Belgium are common, affecting tens of thousands of people.
On Thursday, a sudden strike of air traffic controllers took place, as a result of which about a hundred flights were canceled. More than 5,000 passengers have been affected. Brussels Airlines holds the Belgian air traffic control center Skeyes responsible for the damage suffered, which is at least 4 million EUR.
The closure of the Belgian airspace since 09:30 AM on Thursday affects thousands of passengers. At the airports of Zaventem and Charleroi, a total of 100 flights were canceled, in addition to the many flights whose take-offs or landings were delayed.
Many flights in Brussels Airport Zaventem are delayed until 13:00, at which time the airspace must reopen. However, the airport is expecting delays to last until the evening, according to a spokesperson. At Brussels South Charleroi Airport, five take-offs and five landings were canceled, and delays are piling up as well.
