Flash floods and massive rainfall across Spain led to numerous flights being canceled or delayed at Majorca's international airport.
The heavy storm led to moments of hilarity amid the mayhem as one video showed an airport worker diving into the rainwater on the tarmac. Another clip captured staff members attempting to clean up the water inside the airport using brooms.
Highlights
- Flash floods and massive rainfall in Spain led to numerous flight cancellations and delays at Majorca's international airport
- An airport worker's dive into rainwater on the tarmac was a moment of hilarity amid the chaos
- Airport staff was captured trying to clean up the rainwater inside the terminal using brooms
- Operations at Palma airport resumed after the storm receded, but passengers were advised to check with airlines before traveling
The popular tourist destination was battered by torrential rain, hail, and strong winds on Tuesday, leading to the runway in the Son Sant Joan airport in Palma being covered with several inches of rain.
Flights from Majorca's international airport were canceled or delayed due to heavy rains, which battered parts of Spain on Tuesday
Image credits: Controladores Aéreos / Twitter
The airport operator AENA said in a statement that the airport had to be shut down for safety reasons.
"Palma de Mallorca Airport has temporarily paralysed operations due to the impact of a strong storm, due to the impossibility of operating safely," the airport said.
One video captured staff members at the airport using brooms to clean up the water inside
Image credits: Santiago Alegre
Flyers at the Palma airport, the third largest in Spain, were left stranded as more than 100 flights were either canceled or delayed due to the storm.
The airport eventually resumed operations on Tuesday as the storm receded.
A moment of hilarity was captured amid the mayhem as one employee dived into the water on the runway
Image credits: @MrRTSZ / Twitter
“The first take-offs and landings have already begun, and the diverted flights are expected to land at Palma airport during the afternoon. The airport continues to work to normalise operations. The airports authority recommends passengers to check with their airline before traveling to the airport,” a spokesman for the airport eventually said.
Operations at the airport eventually resumed, but passengers were still asked to check with their airline before arriving at the airport
As chaos ensued at the airport, a passenger revealed that he and his fellow travelers were kept inside the plane and “lied” to.
"It was hot on the plane and the cabin crew gave us no information at all. In fact they lied to us. We must have waited for two hours. Passengers had to buy extra water. There was plenty of tension as people were furious about the lack of information about what was happening," the Scottish passenger, who was on a flight to Fez in North Africa, told Majorca Daily Bulletin.
Some passengers were forced to stay inside the aircraft for hours due to the delay
"What annoyed me, is that we were told nothing," the passenger added.
His flight eventually took off when the airport resumed operations.