Spanish holiday destination facing 'most cancellations' sparking chaos for Brits
Majorca and Ibiza could be among the most likely destinations where holidaymakers will face delays this summer(Image: Getty Images)It is no surprise that British holidaymakers love an escape to The Balearic Islands whose sandy shores are surrounded by the beautiful turquoise and azure colours of the Mediterranean Sea - and the relatively short flight time to get there is another draw. But it seems the Spanish island group might turn out to be a bit more difficult to reach this summer.Holidaymakers planning to travel to the European hotspot are among the most likely to face flight cancellations, according to reports. Travel company AirAdvisor has analysed flight data and found that journeys between major London airports and the islands of Majorca and Ibiza are most likely to be cancelled over the summer months.And that relates to a similar scene last year. As The Express reports, research by AirAdvisor's aviation intelligence platform compared routes between UK airports and Europe which had a minimum of 100 flights scheduled between June 1 and August 31, 2025.Ibiza saw six of 105 flights dropped from London Luton, amounting to 5.56%, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin. The route from Heathrow to Majorca's capital city Palma had 14 of 875 direct flights cancelled - a rate of 1.60% - while Gatwick and Luton also saw 1.31% and 1.30% cancellations respectively.Data from this year is said to paint a similar picture, with 36 of 1,050 flights from Gatwick and Heathrow to Majorca cancelled so far: a rate of 3.44%. Cancellations between London and Ibiza have also already totalled 3.05%.AirAdvisor chief executive officer Anton Radchenko said: "Cancellation risk on UK routes to Europe is not spread evenly and this summer the Balearics are carrying a bigger share of it than anywhere else. That's worth understanding before you travel because a cancellation is not just a long wait at the gate."You lose your slot; same-day options dry up quickly and, from that point on, the airline decides what happens next, not you." He urges travellers whose flights are cancelled to check if they are owed compensation.The UK's air passenger rights law granting renumeration of £220-£520 for flights cancelled less than 14 days before departure. Mr Radchenko said passengers also have the right to be re-booked on the next available flight or to choose a later one if it works better for them.He said: "If the airline offers you a voucher, don't accept it before checking what you're owed in cash. Vouchers come with conditions; they expire and taking one can close off your right to claim."As previously reported, a current issue also affecting Palma airport is industrial action by baggage handlers. Further strikes are set to take place there on two dates for next week, wirh potential to cause disruption for holidaymakers.We have a dedicated newsletter for What’s On news and reviews. It’s free and you can sign up to receive it here. It will keep you up to date with all the latest updates on food, drink, entertainment and events in and around the North East.ChronicleLive has created a dedicated WhatsApp community for What’s On news and updates. You can join this WhatsApp community here. It will keep you up to date with things to do around the North East and breaking gig announcements, sent directly to your phone.
