Storm Adam forces Ibiza airport shutdown and creates cascading delays at Palma
Heavy rain from Storm Adam flooded Ibiza's runway and leaked its terminal, halting operations for nearly three hours and diverting dozens of flights, while Palma airport faces growing delays as more rain approaches.
Storm Adam unleashed intense rainfall across the Balearic Islands on Sunday, flooding the runway at Ibiza airport and causing water to drip from the terminal roof. Controllers declared the airport non-operational at 9:15 a.m., diverting 17 inbound flights from cities such as Manchester, Newcastle and London Stansted, cancelling 15 flights and delaying 53, with an average hold of 84 minutes. Operations restarted at a reduced pace around midday, but officials cautioned that the backlog will prolong recovery.
The airport’s weather station recorded 101.9 litres of rain per square metre by noon, prompting a downgrade from red to orange alert until Monday. On Mallorca, Palma airport was already lagging behind schedule, and Eurocontrol imposed traffic restrictions that keep aircraft on the ground until slots are cleared. An orange warning now covers the whole island from midnight, forecasting up to 140 litres of rain in half a day, suggesting further delays into Monday.
Why it matters
Travelers to the Balearic Islands face significant flight disruptions and may need to adjust plans due to severe rain and airport closures.
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