Jet2 has issued an urgent warning to passengers about potential delays and disruptions on key Mediterranean routes due to violent thunderstorms. The airline has stated that the Eastern Mediterranean and Balearic Islands, including Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, are currently being affected by the adverse weather conditions, with more storms forecasted.
The airline has warned that these disruptions could continue until Wednesday, July 3. Passengers have been advised to allow extra time for their journey to the airport and to prepare for poor driving conditions.
In a late-night update on Sunday, Jet2 said: “We are currently experiencing some Air Traffic Control slot delays on flights that are due to arrive, depart or fly across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balearic Islands, this is due to adverse weather conditions (Thunder Storms) in many parts of Eastern Europe.”
“If you are currently on holiday and experiencing bad weather, please allow plenty of time to get to the airport and allow for potential bad road conditions en route. Our UK Based Operations team is working hard to minimise disruption to our flying programme, however, you may experience some disruption if you are travelling to/from areas affected.”
Jet2.com has issued a statement urging travellers to verify their flight details on the company’s website before heading to the airport, confirming that there are currently no cancellations. The airline announced: “All Jet2.com flights are operating. Where possible we will board flights as close to on time as possible, this will allow us to achieve a departure as soon as we are given clearance from Air Traffic Control. We apologise in advance if this causes an extended wait on board before you depart. Our Friendly Red Team and Crew will keep you updated.”, reports the Mirror.
The airline also advised customers to keep their contact information up-to-date through ‘Manage My Booking’ for the latest updates, which will be communicated via the Jet2.com website, SMS, and email. “For updates, please ensure that your contact details are up to date via ‘Manage My Booking’ as all updates will not only be displayed on this page of the Jet2.com website, we will also SMS and Email affected customers using the details on your booking. You can update your contact details as often as you wish and at any time on the App or our website. We will continue to monitor this situation and look forward to welcoming you on board very soon.”
The Balearic Islands, a region known for its turbulent weather, experienced over 800 lightning strikes in a single day last month, along with hailstones measuring 2cm in diameter.
Recent extreme weather conditions have wreaked havoc across various locations, including Mallorca, where torrential rains led to 9cm of rainfall in under an hour on June 11.
Palma Airport was forced to halt flights temporarily due to runway flooding, and social media was abuzz with videos showing rain pouring through the ceiling of the duty-free shop.