On Monday 28 April, a massive power outage swept through Portugal and Spain, plunging major airports into disarray. The outage, described as a “rare atmospheric phenomenon” by Portugal’s grid operator REN, disrupted critical infrastructure, grounding flights and stranding thousands of passengers.
The outage also briefly affected parts of France, similarly impacting infrastructure, including major airports, leading to widespread travel chaos.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the impact on air travel was significant, with cancellations and delays rippling across the Iberian Peninsula.
Widespread Flight Cancellations
Cirium reports that 96 flights departing Portuguese airports were canceled on April 28, with Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport hit hardest. Over the day, 29.63% of its departures were scrapped, contributing to chaotic scenes at the terminal.
In Spain, 45 flights were canceled, with Barcelona-El Prat Airport seeing 2.98% of departures cut and Madrid-Barajas Airport losing 2.56%. Notably, no flights from the UK to Spain were canceled, but nine UK-to-Portugal flights were grounded, affecting connectivity.
The scale of scheduled operations underscores the disruption’s impact. Spain planned to manage 3,005 departures and 3,005 arrivals, with Madrid, Barcelona, and Palma serving as the busiest hubs.
Portugal expected 709 departures and 722 arrivals, primarily through Lisbon, Porto, and Faro. Meanwhile, the UK had 399 departures to Spain, representing over 75,000 seats, and 105 to Portugal, equating to nearly 20,000 seats.
The cancellations, though a fraction of total flights, caused significant inconvenience, particularly in Lisbon.
Airports in Crisis
Lisbon’s airport faced the worst of the crisis. With 29.63% of departures canceled, the airport closed to arrivals for much of the day, and operations were not expected to resume until late evening.
Passengers reported dark terminals, no air conditioning, and limited amenities, with shops accepting only cash due to payment system failures.
TAP Air Portugal urged travelers to stay away, while police managed crowds at entrances. Porto and Faro airports fared better, relying on backup generators to maintain limited operations.
In Spain, Madrid-Barajas operated at 80% capacity, with air traffic reduced to 20 landings per hour. Iberia canceled 23 of its 247 flights, offering passengers rescheduling options.
Barcelona’s airport, despite 2.98% cancellations, managed minor delays for some flights, supported by contingency generators.
Other airports, like Seville and Valencia, faced disruptions but restored partial functionality. Airlines like easyJet and Ryanair reported issues, with easyJet offering free transfers or vouchers for affected passengers.
Cause and Response
The Portugal and Spain power outage stemmed from extreme temperature variations in Spain’s interior, causing oscillations in high-voltage lines and grid synchronization failures. While early speculation suggested a cyberattack, authorities in both countries ruled this out.
Spain’s Red Eléctrica restored over 35% of power by late April 28, with full recovery expected within 6–10 hours. Portugal prioritized hospitals, airports, and railways, but full grid restoration could take a week.
Airport operators like Aena (Spain) and ANA (Portugal) activated emergency plans, urging passengers to check flight statuses. Ground transportation disruptions, including metro evacuations in Madrid, further complicated airport access.
Airlines advised travelers to monitor updates and avoid unnecessary trips to affected hubs, particularly Lisbon.
The power outage has exposed vulnerabilities in the region’s infrastructure, but recovery is underway. Travelers should stay informed and flexible as Portugal and Spain work to restore normalcy to their airports.
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