field ▁became ▁a ▁public ▁aer od rome ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁but ▁the ▁main ▁activities ▁of ▁the ▁site ▁remained ▁aer onaut ical ▁constru ctions ▁( install ation ▁of ▁S AB CA ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁then ▁S ON AC A ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁taking ▁the ▁place ▁of ▁F aire y ). ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁national ▁air line ▁Sab ena ▁launched ▁a ▁Li ège – Char ler oi – Lond on ▁service , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁soon ▁dropped ▁because ▁of ▁poor ▁results . ▁G oss el ies ▁was ▁left ▁with ▁almost ▁no ▁passenger ▁traffic , ▁the ▁air port ▁being ▁mainly ▁used ▁for ▁private ▁or ▁pleasure ▁fl ights , ▁training ▁fl ights ▁and ▁occas ional ▁char ters ▁to ▁le is ure ▁destin ations ▁around ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea ▁or ▁to ▁Al ger ia . ▁ ▁Development ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁Oper ations ▁at ▁Br uss els ▁South ▁Char ler oi ▁grew ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁commercial ▁management ▁structure ▁( BS CA ▁– ▁Br uss els ▁South ▁Char ler oi ▁Airport ) ▁and ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁Irish ▁low - cost ▁air line ▁Ryan air ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁which ▁opened ▁its ▁first ▁contin ental ▁base ▁at ▁Char ler oi ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁later . ▁ ▁Although ▁critic ised ▁for ▁the ▁subs id ies ▁paid ▁by ▁the ▁Wal lo on ▁government ▁to ▁help