Due to a power outage, Spain and Portugal are dealing with transport issues, including major disruptions at airports.
This situation prompted the Spanish PM, Pedro Sanchez, to declare a state of emergency, which is still in place. Nearly 200 flights to Portugal, especially Lisbon, have been cancelled in one day alone, Schengen.News reports.
Airlines are warning passengers to check their flight status before travelling, as due to the ongoing issues, it is likely that flights will be cancelled or delayed.
Flight Disruptions Can Happen Despite Situation Improvement
The power has returned to the two countries, but air travel was seriously affected. The three control centres that were impacted by the power outage include Madrid, Barcelona and Seville.
Despite this, many flights from Madrid, Barcelona and Seville were cancelled or delayed during this period. On the other hand, a significant number of arrivals and departures from Lisbon were cancelled. The rest were operating with delays.
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.
Passengers are urged to be updated about the travel advice and check their flights frequently until flights return to normal.
Local Transport in Spain Also Impacted by Power Outage
The authorities have revealed that train services are still impacted, with emergency services in Spain revealing they rescued about 35,000 passengers stranded. The urban train services in Madrid were later reduced by half of their usual capacity.
As Euronews reports, high-speed and long-distance services between Madrid and Barcelona, Valencia, Murcia, Alicante, the Basque Country and Algeciras have all resumed normal operation.
Eighty per cent of the trains will be running during a normal morning rush hour. All the lines of EMT Madrid and Interurbanos are 100 per cent operational and will be free throughout the day. The six transport interchanges in the region remain open as normal.
It is highly recommended that travellers secure their trip by purchasing travel insurance. Buying this type of insurance can really help to protect yourself from unexpected expenses and make sure to enjoy your trip, being safe in case of any emergency.
Travel insurance mainly covers lost or stolen bags, medical emergencies, and cancelling or delaying flights, among others.