Storm disruptions cancel flights across Cataluña

Severe thunderstorms along the Catalan coast have forced major disruption at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport. Airport authorities and industry sources confirmed that around 30 flights were cancelled and more than 40 delayed on Thursday afternoon as intense storms moved across the region.

The Generalitat of Catalonia activated its Inuncat flood-emergency plan in response to forecasts of heavy rainfall and adverse weather. The Catalan meteorological service highlighted the risk of particularly intense downpours in the Costa Daurada, the pre-coastal zones of Barcelona and the southern coast. Spain’s state weather agency, Aemet, issued an orange alert for Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community, warning of hail, strong gusts of wind and rainfall of up to 40 litres per square metre in just one hour. Figures from airport operators indicated that Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat was working at around 60 per cent of its capacity as a result of the storms. Reports stated that 29 flights had been cancelled by the afternoon, while around 50 had been delayed. Some sources noted that the number of cancellations was slightly higher, at more than 30, with delays ranging between 60 and 90 minutes.

Routes most affected by the disruption included connections between Barcelona and destinations such as the Balearic Islands, Milan, Lisbon, Paris, Vienna, London, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Dublin and Rome. Vueling, the largest operator at El Prat, was reported as the airline most heavily affected by cancellations and delays.

Spain’s air-traffic control authority, Enaire, confirmed that the weather was affecting routes, departures and landings at Barcelona and at Palma de Mallorca. The organisation advised travellers to check with their airlines before going to the airport to avoid further disruption. In Palma, the impact was similar, with 64 delayed flights and a smaller number of cancellations also recorded on Thursday afternoon. Weather alerts were in place for the Balearic Islands as the same storm system continued to track across the western Mediterranean.

The severe storms arrived during the peak of the summer travel season, amplifying the scale of the disruption. Airport sources confirmed that operations were constrained throughout the afternoon and that a backlog of delays had built up across departures and arrivals. While the exact totals varied slightly between reports, the overall situation was consistent: approximately thirty flights were cancelled at El Prat and at least forty delayed. The situation at Barcelona’s airport was mirrored across parts of Catalonia, where heavy rainfall, hail and sudden squalls caused disruption on roads and local infrastructure. The Generalitat maintained its emergency measures through the afternoon as forecasts suggested further thunderstorms could develop. Officials emphasised that the alerts would remain in place until conditions eased. At El Prat, airlines continued to adjust schedules through the afternoon, with passengers advised to confirm flight status before travelling to the airport. Information screens and airline updates reflected cancellations across both short-haul and medium-haul routes, while delays continued into the late afternoon period.