Unauthorised Drone Activity Disrupts Palma Airport, Diverts Hundreds of Flights
Palma de Mallorca Airport faced significant disruptions on October 19, 2025, when an unauthorized drone breached restricted airspace. This unexpected intrusion forced authorities to suspend all operations for over 35 minutes. The incident, which occurred around 7:00 PM local time, resulted in the diversion of at least eight flights to alternative airports including Barcelona, Valencia, and Ibiza.
Major airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet, Vueling, and SAS were affected, with 20 flights experiencing significant delays across multiple European destinations. Passengers faced waiting times of up to 90 minutes as airport staff scrambled to manage the backlog once operations resumed around 8:00 PM.
Spanish authorities have since launched an investigation to identify the drone operator. Violations could potentially lead to criminal charges. This incident is part of a growing trend affecting European aviation, with similar disruptions recently reported at airports in Gran Canarias, Munich, and Frankfurt.
European Union leaders are now discussing the implementation of a “drone wall” defense system. This system aims to protect continental airspace from unauthorized unmanned aircraft.
Source: Travel and Tour World