Walloon authorities said on Saturday they were relieved after the federal government dropped plans to raise the airport departure tax to €10, opting instead for an increase to €7 from 1 January 2027.
The tax currently stands at €5. According to the office of Walloon Minister-President Adrien Dolimont, the revised increase better protects Wallonia’s economic interests while still meeting the federal government’s budgetary aims.
The Walloon government, led by the MR-Les Engagés coalition, had warned federal ministers that doubling the tax would have serious negative consequences for Charleroi Airport, whose activity depends largely on short and medium-haul European flights.
Dolimont’s office said the compromise was reached after numerous discussions between Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Deputy Prime Minister David Clarinval and Adrien Dolimont.
It said the departure tax had been revised to reduce the impact on the competitiveness of Belgian airports compared with foreign rivals. Under the new arrangement, international flights between 500 and 3,500 kilometres will be taxed at €7, rather than the €10 initially planned from 2027.
Charleroi Airport also welcomed the decision and thanked both levels of government for taking the sector’s concerns into account.
Airport officials said the new approach was more balanced and would help limit the impact on jobs, the competitiveness of Belgian airports and the country’s connectivity, which they described as essential for economic development and citizens’ mobility.
Low-cost airline Ryanair had warned it would sharply reduce its operations at Charleroi Airport if the tax were doubled.
