Spain and Portugal Travel Alert: Flight Delays and Crowded Stations as Power Returns

On Monday, a widespread power failure paralyzed both Spain and Portugal, disrupting train services and leading to significant chaos at airports.

At midnight, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a state of emergency that remains effective up until now.

Power was reinstated across additional regions during the night, as reported by Red Eléctrica, which manages Spain’s national electricity network; they stated that 99.16 percent of the nation's electrical supply had been restored today. The Portuguese government announced that their country has completely bounced back from the outage.

Although power has been reinstated in numerous areas, the residual impacts of the blackout continue to affect transportation in both Spain and Portugal. Below is essential information for travelers regarding train services and flight operations in these countries today.

Are flights continues to be delayed at Spanish and Portuguese airports?

A power outage caused chaos at airports in Spain and Portugal on Monday. No airports were completely shut down as airports were functioning using backup power.

Although power has since been reinstated, the repercussions of yesterday's canceled and postponed flights imply that the disarray continues into today.

On X, AENA, which manages 56 Spanish airports, stated that all of these facilities continue to operate normally.

"The organization advised travelers to verify the availability of public transport heading towards the airports and to contact their airlines concerning potential changes to their flight schedules from yesterday," they further stated.

This evening, airports have modified their timetables to accommodate the needs of rescheduled travelers, and the concourses remain relatively empty.

Enaire, which manages air navigation in Spain, stated that air traffic control operations have been normalized at the three centers impacted by the power failure: Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville.

Even so, numerous flights departing from Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville faced cancellations or delays earlier today as operations gradually resumed. Minor holdups continue into the afternoon.

Enaire recommends that travelers verify the status of their flight with their carrier prior to heading to the airport.

In Portugal, the authorities have stated that all airports are fully operational; however, certain restoration activities continue in Lisbon.

Several flights at Lisbon Airport have been canceled today, and many others are experiencing delays which persist through the afternoon.

The entity managing the airport recommends that travelers get in touch with their airline prior to arriving at the terminal.

What are my entitlements if my flight gets canceled or postponed?

More than 500 flights throughout Spain and Portugal were canceled on Monday because of the system failure.

In total, 185 departures from Portuguese airports were halted, and 187 arrivals were canceled.

According to aviation data firm Cirium, 205 outbound flights and 208 inbound flights were canceled at Spanish airports.

Lisbon experienced the most significant impact with 45 percent of departures canceled. In Seville, one-third of departures were halted, whereas Madrid and Barcelona both faced approximately 50 cancellations among their outgoing flights.

If your journey was disrupted, you might qualify for compensation under the ' Denied Boarding Regulations', stated Ernesto Suarez, the CEO of a travel insurance firm. Gigasure .

Based on your situation, you might get financial assistance for alternate transportation, meals, and lodging if needed.

"Since the disturbance was due to factors beyond the airline's control, passengers might not receive any compensation directly from the carrier," explains Suarez.

People who possess travel insurance might receive certain financial safeguards if their entire journey, or parts of it, gets postponed, canceled, or shortened because of the power outage. Should the client purchase extra coverage for travel disruption, they could be reimbursed for delays, choosing not to proceed with their trip, or having to shorten it, along with any additional expenses incurred from changing accommodations or extending their stay.

If travelers have already journeyed and are unable to return because of the power outages, numerous challenges arise. travel insurance Policies will remain effective until you can return without any extra cost, Suarez notes.

If you have coverage for prolonged travel disruptions, you might also receive reimbursement for extra transportation and lodging expenses incurred until you manage to return home, provided that these align with your policy’s terms, conditions, and exclusions.

Certain travelers experienced feelings of insecurity regarding their lodging or encountered difficulties in reaching it.

"If your hotel lacked functional emergency lights, air conditioning, or fire safety systems, it might not have been safe to remain there," explains travel and insurance specialist Michelle Cooper. Saga Travel Insurance .

Should you determine that moving is necessary, ensure you retain all receipts along with proof of relocation requirements like photographs or documented verification from the lodging facility. Save all bills related to your new residence for potential insurance submissions.

EasyJet provides complimentary transportation for passengers who are stranded.

Yesterday, EasyJet issued a statement indicating that the blackout was affecting access to certain areas. airports And impacting its flights in Lisbon, Madrid, and Barcelona.

"As with every airline, we're facing certain disruptions to our flight schedule which means that some returning trips from Lisbon and Madrid haven’t been able to take place,” stated the company. “However, our operations continue normally at Porto and Faro airports.”

The airline advised travelers to keep an eye on local travel guidance and use flight tracking services for the latest information.

It is also mentioned that passengers in Spain or Portugal who cannot travel will be offered complimentary transfers within 72 hours or alternatives. flight voucher as reported by the BBC.

Visitors stranded outside their Airbnb rentals due to power outage

The electricity blackout caused issues for travelers staying in accommodations in Spain and Portugal when the electronic locks on their Airbnb doors ceased functioning.

A tourist from Paris who was vacationing in Portugal mentioned on X that the door code for their rented accommodation wasn’t functioning.

BBC interviewed a pair from the U.S. who went through a comparable experience and mentioned they roamed the streets of Madrid for four hours at night, searching for a place to rest.

Railway services in Spain and Portugal are gradually resuming their regular operations.

Railway operations in both nations faced disruption yesterday, with the power failure continuing to affect train services today.

Spanish emergency services reported rescuing approximately 35,000 passengers who were trapped in railway and subway networks on Monday due to halted train operations. Numerous travelers turned to hitching rides or walked for long periods to get home.

The Spanish railway operator Renfe has stated that the urban train services will continue as follows: Madrid will function at half of its capacity today.

The high-speed and long-distance routes connecting Madrid with Barcelona, Valencia, Murcia, Alicante, the Basque Country, and Algeciras have all returned to their regular operations.

It has been reported that there have been gatherings and lengthy lines at stations where travelers, whose journeys were canceled, try to switch to different routes or reissue their tickets.

Train services remain halted in the Galicia and Extremadura areas, whereas operations have been reinstated in the Basque Country, Valencia, Zaragoza, Seville, and Asturias zones albeit with minor delays.

Throngs packed the stations as the metro systems in Madrid and Lisbon restarted their services

The metro services in Madrid have likewise returned to regular functioning.

Partially operational services resumed at 8:00 am today, with approximately 80 percent of trains running during peak hours.

Currently, the entire network, with Line 7A remaining shut as of earlier today, is reported to be functioning normally, stated Jorge Rodrigo Dominguez, who serves as Madrid's minister for housing, transport, and infrastructure.

"All the lines of EMTmadrid and Interurbanos are 100 per cent operational and will be free throughout the day," Isabel Díaz Ayuso, President of the Community of Madrid , wrote on X.

The six transportation hubs in the area continue to operate as usual.

The Barcelona metro has resumed operations with services returning to their usual schedule, as reported by local officials.

Following a difficult night for many trapped on trains or dozing in stations, lengthy lines and considerable chaos may ensue as individuals strive to return home.

The railway system in Portugal was similarly affected by the blackout; however, passengers were prepared for disruptions as a result of a nationwide strike, leading to canceled train services on Monday. The authorities have stated that electricity has since been restored across the national transportation grid.

The metro systems in Lisbon and Porto are operational again, though they're experiencing slight delays.

Even though certain areas experienced disruptions, France , trains also haven't appeared to be impacted.

"In France, houses in the Basque Country remained without electricity for several minutes. Power supply has now been fully reinstated," stated RTE, the French electrical grid manager.