{"id":1249,"date":"2025-04-28T12:59:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T12:59:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/?p=1249"},"modified":"2025-04-29T13:06:14","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T13:06:14","slug":"your-rights-if-spain-and-portugals-power-outage-has-affected-your-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mugfoundry.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/28\/your-rights-if-spain-and-portugals-power-outage-has-affected-your-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"Your rights if Spain and Portugal\u2019s power outage has affected your flight"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ryanair say they\u2019re \u2018monitoring\u2019 the situation (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A major power outage<\/a> affecting Spain<\/a>, Portugal<\/a> and parts of France<\/a> is causing chaos, with traffic lights going dark, phonelines down and entire subway systems grinding to a halt.<\/p>\n

No reason has been given for the issue, which is also affecting flights in and out of the two countries.<\/p>\n

Air traffic is now reportedly operating at \u2018half capacity\u2019 across Spain due to the widespread power outage, and flights scheduled to depart from Valencia and Barcelona<\/a> are now listed online as delayed or cancelled<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Madrid<\/a> Barajas Airport has been hit hardest, with Aena, the Spanish-owned company that manages its airports, posting a statement to their website <\/p>\n

\u2018Due to the\u00a0power\u00a0outage, some incidents are occurring at the airports. Contingency generators are active,\u2019 reads the warning. \u2018Please check with your airline, as there may be disruptions to access and ground transportation.\u2019<\/p>\n

Passengers at Barcelona airport have also taken to X to share the \u2018very unsettling\u2019 moment that the entire airport was suddenly plunged into darkness<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Flights in Barcelona and across Spain have been affected (Picture: Getty Images\/iStockphoto)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Airlines operating flights to and from the UK have confirmed that they\u2019re keep a close-eye on the ongoing situation. <\/p>\n

In a statement posted to their website, Ryanair<\/a> said: \u2018We are monitoring potential disruption to flights operating to\/from all airports in Spain and Portugal,\u2019 reads the statement.<\/p>\n

\u2018We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this power outage, which is outside of our control.\u2019<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Easyjet have so far been unable to operate three return UK flights \u2013 two from Bristol and one from Luton. They said they were \u2018experiencing some disruption\u2019 and are advising customers to \u2018check local travel advice and our flight tracker for information on their flights.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tEasyjet’s full statement regarding Spain and Portugal’s power outage\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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Easyjet said: \u2018Power outages in Portugal and Spain are impacting access to some airports and affecting some airports operations including Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018As a result, like all airlines, we are experiencing some disruption to our flying programme meaning that some return flights from Lisbon and Madrid have been unable to operate. Our flying programme at Porto and Faro airports is operating as planned. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018As the situation remains fluid, we are advising customers to check local travel advice and our flight tracker for information on their flights. For passengers who are in Spain or Portugal and unable to travel to the airport today, we are providing free of charge transfers to an alternative easyJet flight within 72 hours or a flight voucher.<\/p>\n

\u2018Although this is outside of our control, we are sorry for any inconvenience and continue to monitor the situation closely.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Follow our live blog for the latest updates on the\u00a0Spain and Portugal power outage<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?<\/h2>\n

According to the Civil Aviation Authority<\/a>, UK and EU airlines must look after you if your flight is delayed or cancelled.<\/p>\n

This includes everything from meals and accommodation to an alternative flight if necessary. <\/p>\n

Citizen\u2019s Advice says<\/a> that airlines should also give impacted passengers access to phone calls and emails and, if they offer you a play to stay, organise the journeys between the hotel and the airport. <\/p>\n

Sometimes, the airline will cover this by handing you vouchers at the airport. When in doubt, keep any receipts for expenses and claim them back afterwards from the airliner. <\/p>\n

But an airliner will only cough up money for \u2018reasonable\u2019 expenses. The hotel minibar or penthouse suites likely can\u2019t be expensed.<\/p>\n

If you didn\u2019t book with a UK or EU airline, you\u2019ll need to check their terms and conditions. Though, for the most part, airlines should provide meals and accommodation as appropriate.<\/p>\n

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Delays and cancellations have been reported at Madrid-Barajas Airport (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When am I eligible for this support?<\/h2>\n

Whether you\u2019re eligible for the above depends on the distance of your flight and how long you have waited: <\/p>\n