Spain Flight Cancellations Tourists Stranded – Key Info & Advice

Hundreds of British holidaymakers have been stranded at Palma de Mallorca Airport in early June 2025 after a wave of flight cancellations. The disruption, which hit at the peak of the UK half-term break, has been attributed to a combination of air traffic control restrictions and airline industrial action, leaving passengers scrambling for information and alternative travel plans.

Reports from multiple UK news outlets describe scenes of chaos as flights were grounded without warning. The situation is not the result of a single air-traffic-control shutdown but rather a layered crisis involving both a cabin-crew strike by easyJet and broader delays linked to Spanish air traffic management, with Ryanair separately criticising ATC staffing issues.

The lack of official real-time communication from airports and airlines has meant that many travellers have turned to social media and reactive news coverage for updates. Below we break down the causes, the scale of the impact, and what affected passengers need to know.

Why Are Flights Being Cancelled in Spain? Cause of the Chaos

Key Insights

• UK half-term timing amplified the volume of stranded passengers, as Palma is a top destination for British families.
• The root cause is a mix of ATC capacity restrictions and airline-specific industrial action – not a single event.
• Social media (especially Facebook) has become the primary channel for real-time passenger updates, highlighting a gap in official communication.
• Ryanair’s proactive warning of “more cancellations” suggests the disruption is systemic, not a one-day anomaly.
• easyJet cancelled 17 flights from Palma on 27 June alone, affecting routes to London Gatwick, Leeds, Geneva, Basel, Naples, Berlin, Bordeaux, Zurich, Nice, Palermo, Nantes, Toulouse, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
• Reporting from the Majorca Daily Bulletin and The Olive Press indicates that air traffic controllers at Palma Airport were not on strike themselves – the ATC issues were capacity and staffing driven.

Snapshot of the Disruption

How Many Tourists Are Stranded? The Impact of Cancellations

Confirming an exact number of stranded passengers has proven difficult. Neither airport operator AENA nor the airlines have released an official count. What is certain, based on reporting from Express.co.uk, Wales Online and Glasgow Live, is that hundreds of British holidaymakers were unable to travel as planned on days when cancellations peaked.

The impact was particularly severe because of the timing. The UK half-term holiday in late May and early June meant that Palma was packed with families. easyJet’s cabin crew strike, which began on 25 June, added another layer of disruption. By the morning of 27 June, the airline had cancelled 17 flights from Palma, including key UK routes such as London Gatwick and Leeds.

easyJet strike grounds flights at Palma de Mallorca, cancelling routes including London Gatwick and Leeds, making clear that the problem was not limited to a single day or one airline. Ryanair, meanwhile, had already been sounding the alarm about Spanish air traffic control performance weeks earlier, but its complaint focused on delays rather than outright cancellations.

What Should Stranded Passengers Do? Advice and Next Steps

For anyone caught in a cancellation, the first priority is to check with the airline for rebooking options. Under EU regulations (EU261), passengers on flights departing from an EU airport – including Palma – may be entitled to compensation, meals, accommodation and alternative transport. The rules apply even if the disruption is caused by air traffic control restrictions, though “extraordinary circumstances” can limit compensation.

Passenger Rights and EU261

The UK Civil Aviation Authority provides guidance on what to do if your flight is cancelled. Passengers should keep all receipts for expenses incurred, contact the airline’s customer service, and request written confirmation of the reason for cancellation. The European Consumer Centre also offers detailed advice on air passenger rights.

Travel Insurance and Rebooking

Many comprehensive travel insurance policies cover cancellation due to airline schedule changes, but policy wording varies. Travel insurers should be contacted as soon as possible. For those still in Mallorca, alternative flights from other Balearic or mainland airports may be an option, though availability during peak season is limited.

When Will Flights Resume from Mallorca?

Flights did resume after each wave of disruption. The easyJet cabin crew strike was scheduled only for three days (25–27 June), and by 28 June normal operations were expected to return. However, Ryanair’s warning of further cancellations – linked to what the airline describes as systemic ATC failures – has left the summer outlook uncertain. Passengers planning travel to or from Mallorca in the coming weeks should check their flight status regularly.

Airlines Respond: Ryanair, easyJet, and the Travel Industry

Ryanair and easyJet have responded differently to the situation. easyJet has attributed its Palma cancellations directly to the cabin crew strike, while also acknowledging wider ATC restrictions in Spain. The airline advised affected passengers to check its website for rebooking and refund options.

Ryanair took a more combative stance. On 16 June, the airline publicly criticised Spanish air traffic control and other European ATC providers, claiming that staffing problems were causing avoidable delays. The airline’s statement warned of further cancellations if the situation did not improve. Flights cancelled across Spain as easyJet cabin crew begin three days of strike action, which also impacted Palma.

What Is Ryanair Saying About the Spain Cancellations?

In a statement reported by the Manchester Evening News, Ryanair warned that “Brits hoping to jet off to Spain should be prepared for more flight cancellations.” The airline pinned the blame on “ATC staffing shortages” and urged European authorities to address the issue. It is important to note that this warning pre-dated the easyJet strike and is part of a long-running dispute between Ryanair and European ATC providers.

Were All Flights Grounded in Majorca?

No. The easyJet strike did not affect other airlines operating at Palma, and flights with airlines such as Vueling, Jet2 and TUI continued largely as normal. However, ATC restrictions caused delays across the board on some days. The phrase “all flights grounded” is inaccurate; the cancellations were primarily on easyJet routes during the strike days, and on Ryanair flights affected by broader ATC issues.

Timeline of Flight Cancellations at Palma Airport (May–June 2025)

1. Late May 2025: Half-term school break begins across the UK; high travel volume to Mallorca puts pressure on airport resources.
2. 16 June 2025: Ryanair publicly criticises Spanish air traffic control, citing staffing problems as the cause of repeated delays. The airline warns of further cancellations.
3. 25 June 2025: easyJet cabin crew in Spain begin a three-day strike, causing dozens of cancellations across the country. Nine flights are cancelled at Palma de Mallorca.
4. 27 June 2025: The strike continues; 17 flights at Palma are cancelled, including routes to London Gatwick, Leeds, Geneva, Basel, Naples, Berlin, Bordeaux, Zurich, Nice, Palermo, Nantes, Toulouse, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
5. 27–28 June 2025: The strike ends; normal operations gradually resume, but Ryanair warns that ATC-related disruption may continue through the summer.
6. Ongoing: Passengers advised to monitor airline apps and flight status portals; further industrial action (such as the August baggage-handler strikes at Spanish airports) remains a risk.

What We Know and What Remains Unclear About the Palma Disruption

Why Palma de Mallorca? Context of Summer Travel Disruption

Palma de Mallorca is one of the busiest airports in the Mediterranean during the summer months, especially for British tourists. The half-term week is traditionally a high-traffic period. When both labour disputes and ATC capacity constraints converge, the airport’s resilience is tested. Previous summers have seen similar problems in Spain, France and the UK, with strikes and staffing shortages causing cascading delays.

The easyJet strike was part of a broader pattern of industrial action among airline staff in Europe, driven by post-pandemic pay disputes and working conditions. Meanwhile, air traffic control – a system under strain across the continent – has been a frequent target of criticism from airlines. Ryanair’s public complaint about Spanish ATC is one of many such statements the airline has made in recent years.

The lack of a coordinated official response from Spanish aviation authorities or the UK Foreign Office has created an information vacuum. In the absence of reliable updates, stranded passengers have relied on social media and local news reports. This gap underscores the need for clearer communication protocols during travel disruptions.

Sources and Official Statements

“Hundreds of British holidaymakers are stuck in Palma de Mallorca Airport – after a string of flight cancellations due to ‘air traffic control restrictions’.”

— Express.co.uk

“Brits hoping to jet off to Spain should be prepared for more flight cancellations, Ryanair have warned.”

— Ryanair statement, reported by Manchester Evening News

“Hundreds of UK holidaymakers are stranded at Majorca’s Palma airport following a number of cancelled flights.”

— Glasgow Live

What Happens Next for Stranded Passengers?

For those still awaiting travel, the best course of action is to stay in direct contact with the airline, monitor official flight status pages, and review insurance policies. The disruption appears to be easing after the end of the easyJet strike, but Ryanair’s warnings about ATC problems suggest that the summer travel season in Spain may continue to be rocky. Passengers travelling in August or September should remain alert to further airline notifications.

For a detailed look at the specific events at Palma, refer to the full report: Flights cancelled across Spain as easyJet cabin crew begin three days of strike action.

Frequently Asked Questions