Severe storms hitting the Balearic Islands have triggered significant disruptions at Palma airport this Thursday morning, with departure boards showing numerous delays across multiple flights, particularly for outbound journeys.
Air traffic in Mallorca has experienced substantial delays since early morning, following a night of heavy rainfall and strong winds across the northwestern Mediterranean. Barcelona Airport faced weather-related challenges overnight, forcing several aircraft to divert to alternative destinations, with delays expected to persist throughout Thursday morning.
The Balearic Government has convened the Technical Advisory Committee of the Meteobal Plan due to multiple adverse weather alerts across the islands. The situation is particularly concerning for Ibiza and Formentera, where the most severe conditions are anticipated, though some areas of Mallorca are also expected to be affected.
Air Traffic Controllers have explained through social media that "safety-related diversions to avoid storm cells are forcing a reduction in flights per hour across Mediterranean airspace sectors". They've further clarified that "Eurocontrol's algorithm automatically establishes departure times for flight crews at their respective airports, managing most delays on the ground to prevent congestion in regulated areas".