In this Mallorca Weekly News update, I´m taking a look at the flight delays and compensation and how the news of airport chaos will affect your trip travelling to and from Mallorca.
Claiming compensation on delayed or cancelled flight
I went to the airport to see what the situation was like there, and report on the issues surrounding travel currently in the news.
It appears that systems failure has brought easyJet, British Airways and now TUI flights to its knees with widespread cancellations combined with understaffing by both the airlines and the airports.
I also hear of similar airport chaos coming in from Schipol Airport in Amsterdam.
My advice is if you are travelling in the next few days is to keep a close check on your flight and with news coming from your airline.
It also appears you are entitled to compensation if your flight arrives more than three hours AFTER the scheduled arrival time, or is cancelled within 14 days of departure.
If your flight is delayed by a couple of hours at the airport then you should be entitled to at least food vouchers and if it is delayed over night, then the airline will cover the cost of overnight accommodation and meals.
You can read about claiming compensation from easyJet from here.
To claim compensation from Ryanair click here.
To claim compensation from TUI flights, check this link here. For all other TUI holiday compensation claims check here.
To claim from British Airways, check here.
You can check the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) link here
Before you travel, also please make sure you take out really good travel insurrance, especially so if you are an unvaccinated travel, and ensure this has Covid Cover.
Unvaccinated Travellers Facing Further Problems
Unvaccinated travellers entering into Spain, can encounter further problems as flight delays also have a major effect on the validity of negative covid tests, leading to some tests to expire.
As reported last week, the entry requirements for Spain have been changed and unvaccinated travellers can enter with a negative anitgen or PCR test.
This is not helped by the fact that some aiports have closed their airport testing facilities, including Bristol Aiport where much travel disruption has taken place.
I emailed Bristol Airport and they ask what would happen in this scenario, and they advised contacting the airline.
Therefore if your flight delayed and you are watching the clock tick down on the validity of your negative test (remember your antigen tests needs to be taken 24 hours before arrival into Spain), these are the scenarios you could encounter.
- Following my experience of travelling in April, UK airport staff are not checking covid tests prior to boarding.
- My daugther’s test was not checked on arrival to Spain either.
- At the health check in Spain, they only checked the QR code, not the test certificate.
- However spot checks of Covid Test certificates are being made. Because the flight has been delayed, the border police may take a lenient approach to a test certificate that has expired due to a flight delay or being held on a plane.
- The worst case scenario is that you will be tested on arrival to Spain if your test certificate expires due to a flight delay.
- The absolute worst case and unlikely scenario is that you are denied travel altogether. I have not heard this happen to anyone yet. If it has, please contact me.
I have also emailed the official Spain Travel Health government body about this and am awaiting for an official response about this.
Arriving into Palma de Mallorca Airport
There have been reports of further delays landing at Palma airport, and coming through passport control.
The e-gates are not always active and I’ve heard reports that in some cases there are only a couple of border police checking passports on flights entering.
This isn’t always the case however, and many other passengers are reported to have arrived at the airport and got through passport control and collected their luggage in good time.
The picture below shows huge queues at passport control last week, but as I mentioned, there are also days where the queue getting through is normal. It’s literally the luck of the draw as to when you land and how the airport is being staffed.
Reported problems at Palma Airport taxi ranks
There have been reports in the local press about queues at taxi ranks.
When I visited the airport on Saturday, I didn’t see a problem, however again, I’m predicting we will see further sporadic problems as we go into the Summer.
With increased visitors arriving in July and August, and also taxi drivers taking their summer holiday, you may want to guarantee your transfer at the Palma airport by pre-booking your transfer.
I am an affiliate partner with Holidaytaxis.com so by booking with me, you will also help support the channel at no extra cost to yourselves.
You can also find more about getting around Mallorca by clicking here.
Departures from Palma International Airport
For your return flight, the advice is do not arrive too early as many carriers will not allow you to check in more than 2 hours before your flight departure.
But get there in good time as the roads around the airport can get extremely busy.
