On Monday, a significant power outage impacted Spain and Portugal, leading to widespread disruptions in train and air travel and prompting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to declare a state of emergency at midnight. The national grid operator, Red Eléctrica, reported that as of the following morning, over 99% of the power had been restored in Spain, while Portugal had fully recovered from the blackout. However, the remnants of these disruptions continue to affect travel operations, raising concerns for both travelers and airport authorities regarding flight statuses and public transport services.
Airports in both nations faced chaos, operating on backup generators during the outage, but without complete closures. The situation has improved, with all airports back to operation, yet the aftermath of cancelled and delayed flights remained evident. By Tuesday morning, flight operations were still affected, notably in Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, where numerous flights had been either cancelled or delayed. Aena, the managing body for Spanish airports, suggested that travelers verify their flight status with their respective airlines as schedules were adjusted to accommodate rescheduled flights.
In terms of flight cancellations, aviation analysts reported a staggering total of 413 cancellations in Spain and 372 in Portugal, with many being flights between the two countries, thus inflating the figures. Particularly hard-hit was Lisbon, where nearly 45% of departures were grounded. Compensation rights for affected travelers highlighted that passengers might be entitled to reimbursement for alternative travel arrangements and additional costs incurred due to the power outage, although compensation directly from airlines may not be applicable as the situation was deemed outside of their control.
Airlines like EasyJet announced disruptions affecting operations in Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon, offering stranded passengers options such as free transfers or flight vouchers for those unable to travel. Passengers were advised to stay updated via local travel advice and flight trackers to manage their travel plans effectively amidst the chaos. The impact of the outage extended not only to air travel but also severely affected train services in both countries, with rail operators reporting significant disruptions and hundreds of stranded passengers needing assistance.
Rail networks in Spain and Portugal witnessed a return to normalcy at a sluggish pace, with emergency services in Spain rescuing around 35,000 passengers from halted trains. The Spanish rail operator, Renfe, indicated that urban train services in Madrid would operate at half capacity, while long-distance services were gradually resuming. Metro services in Madrid saw partial reopening, with heightened crowds and long queues as travelers scrambled to board alternative services after their original trips were cancelled. In Portugal, train services faced delays, compounded by an ongoing national strike.
Despite the rain and the interruptions in service, both the Madrid and Lisbon metro systems reported a return to operational capacity, although minor delays were still expected. Travelers in Portugal, already facing issues due to a planned strike, were similarly impacted by the power outage; however, recovery efforts indicated that power had been restored to the national transport network. While disruptions were also reported in parts of France, the impact on train services across the border was minimal, signifying that though the blackout significantly shook Spain and Portugal, nearby regions like France managed to mitigate its effects effectively.
