Flights to Spain have been severely disrupted as a blistering heatwave grips Europe, causing travel chaos for British holidaymakers. Delay rates at key Spanish airports have more than doubled, with Alicante Elche airport seeing nearly one in nine departures running at least an hour late.
Heatwave Sparks Flight Disruptions Across Europe
This week's extreme heat, combined with overnight thunderstorms, has overwhelmed airports across the UK and Europe. Edinburgh Airport was forced to divert and cancel flights as thunderstorms battered Scotland, with the Met Office recording thousands of lightning strikes in the early hours of Friday morning.
France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Germany have also experienced airport delays as Western and Central Europe swelter under soaring temperatures. According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, more than 2,000 flights across Europe have been disrupted this month due to storms, congested airspace, and bottlenecks at major airports.
Spanish Routes Worst Affected for UK Travellers
New research from AirAdvisor indicates that Spanish routes are currently the worst affected for UK travellers. At Palma de Mallorca Airport, overall delay rates have more than doubled from 3.66% to 7.60%. At Alicante Elche Airport, delays have nearly tripled from 4.39% to 11.73%, meaning roughly one in nine departures is delayed by at least an hour. The average wait for an already-delayed flight is 124 minutes.
Heatwave Deaths in Spain
Travellers heading to Spain have also been issued a warning after an estimated 212 deaths were reported in the country over just a matter of days. The Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that the fatalities have been attributed to soaring temperatures as Spain grapples with its first heatwave of the year, which began last Sunday and is now easing. Central and northern areas have been hit hardest, with Wednesday, June 24, recording the highest excess mortality rate, accounting for nearly half of the deaths (96).
