Belgian Airspace Reopens After Technical Issue Delays Flights, Forces PM Fico’s Return
A technical problem with Belgium's air traffic control system disrupted flights, leading to delays and the return of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico to his home country.
Belgian airspace has reopened after a technical issue with the Skeyes air traffic control system led to its closure for just over an hour, grounding flights across the country.
A spokesperson for Brussels Airport confirmed the issue began after 12 pm, resulting in temporary suspension of air traffic.
The system was rebooted, and flights are gradually returning to normal, although delays of up to two hours were reported.
Two flights were diverted to Lille airport, and all aircraft in Belgian airspace were rerouted to neighbouring countries using a backup system.
The system was eventually restored, with a Skeyes spokesperson confirming that operations were stabilizing.
The outage also affected the flight of Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was en route to Brussels for a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen.
Due to the airspace closure, Fico’s plane had to turn back to Slovakia.
Fico, who returned to power in 2023 with his leftist party Smer, has been a vocal critic of EU policies on Russia, and his stance has sharply differed from the broader European mainstream.
Under his leadership, Slovakia ended its military aid to Ukraine, opposed EU sanctions on Russia, and criticized Ukraine’s energy policies.
Despite the disruptions, Brussels Airport has advised passengers to stay updated with their airlines as air traffic control works to clear the backlog.
A spokesperson for Brussels Airport confirmed the issue began after 12 pm, resulting in temporary suspension of air traffic.
The system was rebooted, and flights are gradually returning to normal, although delays of up to two hours were reported.
Two flights were diverted to Lille airport, and all aircraft in Belgian airspace were rerouted to neighbouring countries using a backup system.
The system was eventually restored, with a Skeyes spokesperson confirming that operations were stabilizing.
The outage also affected the flight of Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was en route to Brussels for a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen.
Due to the airspace closure, Fico’s plane had to turn back to Slovakia.
Fico, who returned to power in 2023 with his leftist party Smer, has been a vocal critic of EU policies on Russia, and his stance has sharply differed from the broader European mainstream.
Under his leadership, Slovakia ended its military aid to Ukraine, opposed EU sanctions on Russia, and criticized Ukraine’s energy policies.
Despite the disruptions, Brussels Airport has advised passengers to stay updated with their airlines as air traffic control works to clear the backlog.
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