Dylan Wagemans
A wave of flight delays and cancellations has thrown travel plans into chaos at Palma de Mallorca Airport, as severe thunderstorms in Northern Europe triggered widespread air traffic control restrictions.
More than 100 flights were affected on Sunday alone, with easyJet-travellers among the hardest hit.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, with thousands of families wrapping up their holidays in the Balearic Islands.
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Passengers faced hours-long queues, scarce rebooking options, and frantic scrambles for hotel rooms.
Some, like one London-based family, were forced to book expensive last-minute tickets with rival airlines just to get their children home in time for school.
EasyJet cancelled several flights and delayed many more, citing the ripple effect of weather-related airspace closures across the continent.
The airline said it offered hotel stays and meal vouchers, but the volume of affected passengers overwhelmed ground teams.
While Jet2 managed to keep its schedule running, its flights quickly filled up as travellers searched for alternatives – often at double or triple the original cost.
Airline bosses, including Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, have warned that this may just be the beginning.
With staff shortages and fragile infrastructure, the summer of 2025 could see even more disruption.
Palma Airport has now resumed its normal operations again, but some people are concerned about what would happen if similar events were to take place in the dead of summer-season.
