Valencia Airport canceled flights and implemented traffic restrictions on Monday after Spain issued a red alert for torrential rains across the provinces of Valencia, Castellón, and Tarragona. The weather alert, in place since early morning, forced airlines to delay or suspend multiple routes as authorities warned of rapidly changing conditions.
The measures follow Sunday’s announcement of red alerts across eastern Spain, when Aena, the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT), and Renfe urged travelers to take precautions and expect disruptions. Read more about Sunday’s travel warnings.
Airport Operations Restricted
Aena confirmed that Manises Airport in Valencia applied safety regulations to manage air traffic as storms intensified. “Although the situation at the airport is currently ‘calm,’ regulations affecting aircraft movements have been applied,” sources from Aena said. These measures included spacing out arrivals and departures to reduce congestion and increase safety.
By 9:00 a.m., two outbound flights from Valencia had already been canceled. Vueling and Iberia suspended services to Paris-Orly and Amsterdam earlier in the morning. Aena noted that airlines continue to assess conditions, with further cancellations and delays expected as the day progresses.
Flight Cancellations and Delays
Disruptions extended through midday, affecting both departures and arrivals. Outbound services delayed included:
- 12:00 Norwegian to Copenhagen
- 12:05 Lufthansa to Munich
- 12:35 TAP Air Portugal to Lisbon
- 13:05 Lufthansa to Frankfurt
- 13:10 easyJet to London Gatwick
- 13:20 Transavia to Paris-Orly
- 13:20 Binter Canarias to Tenerife Norte–C. La Laguna
- 14:10 easyJet to Berlin Brandenburg
Arrivals were also disrupted, with both the 12:10 Iberia and Vueling flights from Paris-Orly canceled.
Earlier in the morning, EasyJet and Ryanair reported delays to London routes, while Ryanair canceled a connection to Verona. Norwegian warned of disruption to its Copenhagen service, and Lufthansa confirmed delays on flights to Munich. The growing list of affected services highlights the widespread impact of the storm on air travel across Europe.
Impact Beyond Valencia
The red alert remains in place for eastern Spain, with heavy rains forecast to persist into Tuesday. In Castellón and Tarragona, authorities prepared for potential flooding, while schools in parts of Valencia suspended classes. Emergency services remain on high alert as more storms are expected.
Sunday’s warnings from Aemet, Spain’s meteorological agency, had already stressed the severity of the storms. The agency forecast locally strong to very strong downpours, particularly across the Valencian Community, extending later to the interior southeast. “Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 will be the most adverse days of the episode,” said Aemet.
Authorities continue to advise travelers to monitor real-time updates from Valencia Airport, airlines, train operators, and regional agencies before starting their journeys. With more storms predicted, Spain’s transport network faces further disruption as the red alert remains active.
