One woman and her family will make every effort to never fly from an airport in Belgium again after the "appalling experience" they had when flying from Charleroi Airport last Friday.
After a holiday in Belgium, Miglena Miteva, her partner, and two children had booked flights from Charleroi – officially named Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA) – back to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, early in the morning on Friday 8 August.
"This was my first time flying to and from Belgium, and I will make every effort to ensure it is also my last, both for myself and for my family," she told The Brussels Times. "The airport experience was a nightmare and entirely unworthy of a European airport. It has overshadowed all the pleasant memories we created during our holiday."
After returning their rental car, the family of four arrived at Charleroi Airport around 06:30. All four had checked in to their flights online and were travelling with hand luggage only. Their flight was due to leave at 08:25. "We assumed that two hours would be more than sufficient to pass through security. Unfortunately, the level of organisation at the airport was shockingly inadequate."
'Complete lack of organisation'
Access to the terminal was restricted to a single entrance, which led to "a massive build-up of passengers," who all wanted to avoid missing their flights. Miteva said the family spent a full two hours in the queue, waiting to pass through security.
She stressed that she understood the importance of thorough security checks, and added that an increased number of passengers and a reduced number of staff during the summer holidays could lead to some delays. "But none of these factors excuse the complete lack of organisation and the unacceptable conditions we experienced."
She describes a queue that extended far outside the terminal, and passengers all being crammed together with no access to water or toilets once inside the building. "The idea of buying a coffee or a snack was out of the question – it felt like a luxury utterly out of reach."
While some passengers were pushing through the crowd to make their flights, Miteva said others ignored the queue entirely and slipped between barriers – with zero intervention from staff. "There was no attempt by airport personnel to manage the situation or ensure even basic order."
Chaos during strike action of security personnel at Charleroi Airport in 2022. Credit: Belga / Virginie Lefour.
Once the family made it through the security checks, they had to run through the airport to make their flight. However, the couple's 12-year-old son was so overwhelmed from the experience that he cried throughout the flight, she said.
The airport, which has been named among the top 10 worst in Europe, has long had a reputation for repeated strikes and passenger disruption, but Miteva never experienced anything like this, she said.
"In over 20 years of flying, I have never witnessed such an appalling lack of organisation and regard for passenger safety," she said. "This was the worst airport experience I have ever had, and I will do my utmost never to use a Belgian airport again."
'Catastrophic'
What's more, Miteva underlined that these scenes – hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people packed into a small space – would be very dangerous in the event of an emergency, such as a fire, an incident with aggressive passengers or even an earthquake.
She said that she is not just sharing her story because of personal inconvenience, but because she feels that the lack of airport organisation is a "dangerous negligence" that could have "hazardous and/or irrecoverable consequences."
"With security and crowd management below the absolute minimum, the risk to life would be catastrophic," Miteva emphasised. "Passengers deserve at least basic respect and dignified treatment, especially in a country like Belgium, which prides itself on being at the heart of Europe."
Illustration picture shows Brussels South Airport, in Charleroi, Tuesday 24 March 2020. Credit: Belga / Virginie Lefour
Contacted by The Brussels Times, Charleroi Airport (BSCA) stressed that the "comfort and safety" of its passengers is its "top priority."
While they welcome a large number of passengers every day during the school holidays, the airport and its partners do "everything [they] can to ensure that everyone's holiday departure is as smooth and stress-free as possible," said BSCA spokesperson Nathalie Pierard. "Since the start of the summer season, the airport has implemented a series of concrete measures to streamline the reception process and assist passengers."
Passenger flows have been reorganised according to airline and according to whether or not passengers have baggage to check in to create a better distribution between checkpoints. There has also been a significant increase in airport stewards, who are present inside and outside the terminal to guide, inform and reassure passengers.
"Airport staff and partners are doing everything possible to ensure that everyone's holidays get off to the best possible start," Pierard said.
Lack of security personnel
She added that longer waiting times are "occasionally" observed, particularly when the airport's security partners (G4S and Protection Unit) experience high levels of absenteeism – which has been an issue for quite some time.
In April, before the start of the traditionally very busy Easter holidays, Irish low-cost airline Ryanair called on the Walloon Government to "take urgent action" to eliminate the shortage of the airport's security personnel, and even called on them to deploy the army to make up for the lack of staff.
This security staff shortage "can temporarily affect the flow of security checks," Pierard said. "During these peak periods, queues may be temporarily organised outside the terminal. This measure is voluntary and planned: it aims to ensure the safety and comfort of everyone, both passengers and staff."
The airport advises passengers to arrive three hours before their flight.
