In Palma on Wednesday, Javier Gándara, the CEO for easyJet Southern Europe and president of Spain's Airlines Association, said that airlines are working with military aviation to try to "mitigate as much as possible" the impact of the NATO Air Defender 23 exercise.
This will last until June 23 and will affect some 5,000 flights to Mallorca, especially routes from central Europe (Germany in particular) and Scandinavia.
Gándara nevertheless acknowledged that there will be delays and some cancellations, as airlines begin their high season. He added that the weather (summer storms) hasn't been helping.
But while the timing of the NATO exercise has been inconvenient, Gándara stressed that airlines are far more concerned about repeated strikes in France - "For example, 70% of easyJet flights fly over or land in France."
These problems will not, however, prevent another record season for the Balearics. Gándara explained that easyJet will this summer operate 2.5 million seats at Palma Son Sant Joan Airport alone.