Travellers face widespread delays at Spanish airports as flight disruption continues
Credit : ena_b, Shutterstock
A routine travel day has turned into a long test of patience for thousands of passengers across Spain this Monday, January 5, as widespread flight delays and cancellations ripple through the country’s main airports. From early morning, departure boards have been filling with orange and red alerts, leaving travellers stuck in terminals, glued to their phones and queueing for answers.
While disruption has been felt nationwide, Alicante has unexpectedly found itself at the centre of the chaos, alongside the usual pressure points of Madrid and Barcelona. For many heading home or setting off on short European breaks, the day has been defined by waiting, uncertainty and last-minute changes.
More than 500 delays leave passengers stranded
By mid-day, figures showed 541 delayed flights and 27 cancellations across Spain’s busiest airports. At Madrid–Barajas Airport, travellers faced 207 delays and 12 cancellations, with knock-on effects spreading quickly through domestic and European routes.
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In Barcelona–El Prat Airport, the situation was just as tense. A total of 235 delays and 10 cancellations were recorded, hitting mainly short-haul European flights and creating congestion throughout the terminal.
But it is Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport that has raised eyebrows. Despite being smaller than Madrid and Barcelona, Alicante clocked up 99 delayed flights and five cancellations, making it one of the most affected airports in proportion to its traffic.
Passengers described packed departure halls, delayed boarding calls and long lines at airline desks as staff worked to manage the growing backlog.
Why Alicante has been hit so hard
Alicante’s role as a major leisure travel hub appears to be a key factor. The airport handles a high number of flights operated by low-cost airlines linking Spain with destinations across the UK and northern Europe. When delays begin to stack up, recovery can be slow, especially on days with heavy passenger volumes.
Many of the affected flights are tightly scheduled, leaving little room to absorb disruption. Missed connections, aircraft rotations running late and crews out of position have all added to the strain.
For passengers, the experience has been frustrating. Some have been left waiting hours for updates, while others have faced rebooking onto later flights or even following days. Airport staff and airlines have repeatedly advised travellers not to head to the airport without checking their flight status, as conditions have been changing throughout the day.
Airlines feeling the pressure
Several airlines have borne the brunt of the disruption. Vueling Airlines has been the most affected in terms of delays, with 122 flights running late and seven cancellations, particularly in Barcelona and Alicante.
Dutch carrier KLM recorded the highest number of cancellations overall, grounding 13 flights and delaying six, affecting international connections in and out of Spain.
Spain’s national airline Iberia also faced disruption, with five cancellations and 37 delays, largely centred on Madrid.
Low-cost operators were not spared. Ryanair reported 85 delayed flights, while easyJet saw 31. British Airways logged 21 delays, and Wizz Air recorded a combined 31 delayed flights.
Although no single cause has been officially confirmed, aviation sources point to operational congestion and knock-on delays across European airspace as likely factors behind the widespread disruption.
Advice for travellers flying today
For anyone due to fly from or within Spain today, the message from airlines is clear: check your flight regularly and be prepared for changes. Passengers are being urged to allow extra time, keep booking details to hand and follow airline guidance rather than relying on airport announcements alone.
At Alicante in particular, travellers on European leisure routes are being warned that delays could continue into the evening. As airlines work to stabilise schedules, patience remains in short supply – and for many passengers, simply getting home has become the day’s biggest challenge.
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