Storms Cause Flight Delays Across the Mediterranean

Thursday, July 24th, 2025

Weather disruptions affecting Palma de Mallorca Airport

After a turbulent night of storms at Barcelona Airport, unsettled weather continues to affect north-eastern Spain and parts of the Mediterranean. Ongoing storm cells are forcing air traffic controllers to reduce the number of flights per hour across several Mediterranean airspace sectors, resulting in delays and possible diversions.

Safety measures by Enaire

Spain’s air navigation authority, Enaire, has activated a special safety protocol due to adverse weather conditions. This requires greater spacing between take-offs and landings to ensure safe operations. The duration of this protocol will depend on how the weather evolves in the coming hours.

AEMET weather alerts

The Spanish weather service AEMET has issued a yellow warning for rain and thunderstorms across Mallorca, valid until midnight. AEMET also posted on X (formerly Twitter) about active warnings for storms, heavy rain, coastal conditions and rissagas in the Balearic Islands, with an orange-level alert as the highest issued. Delays could extend into Friday if weather conditions do not improve.

Summer capacity challenges

Palma de Mallorca Airport typically operates at peak capacity during the summer months. When flights are forced to deviate from their planned routes due to storm activity, this creates knock-on delays across an already busy schedule. To maintain safety during such disruptions, hourly flight capacity is reduced, which can lead to longer waiting times for both departures and arrivals.

Advice for passengers

Passengers travelling from or to Palma de Mallorca Airport are advised to:

Check flight status frequently with their airline or via the airport’s live updates before heading to the terminal.
Arrive early, as security and check-in queues may be longer when schedules are disrupted.
Allow extra time for transfers and connections, as delays can cascade through the day.
Stay informed by following AEMET alerts and airline notifications, particularly if travelling later in the evening or the following morning.