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Severe weather conditions have caused major disruption at Palma Son Sant Joan airport in Mallorca, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded as over 300 flights were cancelled or delayed. Amid the chaos, airlines and airport officials are working to restore normal operations.

Flight cancellations and delays:
In recent days, torrential rain and severe flooding in the Balearic Islands led to the cancellation of 150 flights on Wednesday, 180 on Thursday and ten on Friday. Passengers have had to endure long waits and uncertainty as they try to survive the disruption caused by the storms.

Airline response:
Ryanair, one of the airlines affected by the cancellations, apologized to its passengers but criticised Spanish air traffic control for what it considered a “nonsensical” decision to prevent planes from landing. The airline pointed out that while departures from Palma continued as usual, incoming flights were halted, causing confusion and frustration among travellers.

Impact of the storm on the Balearic Islands:
The storm, part of the “DANA low”, has affected not only Mallorca but also the surrounding islands. On Menorca, the situation became so bad that the Guardia Civil had to rescue 16 people who were trapped in the floods by helicopter. The authorities on Menorca are now calling on the Spanish government to declare the worst-affected areas a “disaster area”.

Restoration of normal operations:
Conditions at Palma Airport are reportedly gradually improving and things are expected to return to “normal” by Saturday 17 August. The airport has issued a statement saying that while there are still some delays, most are now under 30 minutes, which is a significant improvement on previous disruptions.

Jet2 update:
British airline Jet2 also informed its passengers of ongoing maintenance work at Palma Airport, but assured them that efforts were being made to ensure smooth operations at the airport. The airline provided special check-in and boarding instructions to help travelers cope with the situation.

Diploma:
As the Balearic Islands recover from the effects of recent storms, tourists and locals alike are hoping for a speedy return to normal operations at Palma Son Sant Joan Airport in Mallorca. While the worst appears to be over, the situation reminds us how unpredictable travel is during extreme weather events.