The computer blackout at Palma Airport has resulted in lengthy queues at the check-in desks, primarily consisting of holiday package customers managed by tour operators. These tourists typically check in at the counters rather than using computers or mobile devices. The arrival of passengers by coach in large groups has further exacerbated the long queues.
Pedro Fiol, president of the Association of Travel Agencies of the Balearic Islands (AVIBA), stated, "We are all waiting for this system to be re-established. At the moment, we are standing idly by and can do nothing about these force majeure circumstances." He explained that agencies lack a booking system to reassign passengers whose flights have been canceled because the Amadeus system, the main provider in Spain, is not working. Internal booking pages shared with airlines are also down.
Fiol noted that they do not anticipate significant economic impact due to cancellations and that insurance policies typically cover missed connections. He emphasized, "For those of us who live in Mallorca, it is the best investment we can make when booking a plane ticket."
Palma airport was among the first in the AENA network to report operational problems. The blackout forced Son Sant Joan to revert to more rudimentary check-in and signaling systems throughout the morning to minimize operational impact. Many check-in processes were carried out manually, with blackboards used to indicate boarding gate locations. Public address announcements were also extended to facilitate passenger boarding.
AENA has reported that systems at airports in the Balearic Islands and across Spain are gradually recovering following an incident affecting companies worldwide, including banks and hospitals. The issue stemmed from a CrowdStrike antivirus update that Microsoft has taken down globally.
The agency clarified that all airports in the state network are operational, though some processes are slower than usual, causing delays. Normality is being restored gradually.
Despite the worldwide chaos that forced the total interruption of operations at airports such as Hong Kong, New Delhi, Amsterdam, Vienna, Hamburg, and Berlin, Palma airport, with 997 scheduled flights, has managed to maintain relatively smooth operations. AENA reports that the most significant issue at the operational level is the delays generated.