Flights grounded at major Spanish tourist destination, as airport runway floods amid heavy storms

Heavy rain at Palma Airport on the island of Mallorca caused significant disruptions on Tuesday evening, with water streaming through the roof of the duty-free area. The torrential downpour saw around 9cm of rain falling in less than an hour, according to a weather station at the airport.

Passengers described the scene as chaotic, according to local news outlet Majorca Daily Bulletin. The airport had to activate its emergency plan, resulting in flights being rerouted to different destinations and planes already on the ground in Palma being temporarily grounded.

Why This Matters: Aena, the company that operates Palma Airport, announced on Tuesday that operations had to be temporarily suspended due to the severe storm, as it was impossible to operate safely. By Wednesday, however, Aena confirmed that operations had resumed. "Palma de Mallorca Airport has reactivated its operations after the storm," a spokesperson said. "The first take-offs and landings have already begun and it is expected that the diverted flights will land during the afternoon at the Palma airport."

Efforts are ongoing to normalize operations, and Aena advised passengers to consult with their airlines before traveling to the airport. More rain is expected later this week, which could potentially cause further disruptions.

Palma Airport, which saw a record 31 million passengers in 2023, continues to work on restoring normalcy after the unexpected storm. The incident has highlighted the need for robust contingency plans to handle extreme weather events, especially in critical infrastructure like airports.

Key Takeaways:

• Heavy rain caused significant disruption at Palma Airport on Tuesday evening.
• About 9cm of rain fell in less than an hour at the airport.
• Emergency plans were activated; flights rerouted and grounded.
• Operations resumed on Wednesday, but further rain is expected.
• Aena advises passengers to check with airlines before traveling.