Majorca’s Palma de Mallorca Airport descended into chaos last night after a mysterious drone was spotted hovering over the runways. From around 6pm UK time, flights were halted, forcing planes to divert and leaving thousands of British holidaymakers stranded.
Flights Grounded, Diversions Ordered
FlightRadar24 confirmed operations were suspended due to the drone in the airport’s airspace.
“Operations at Palma de Mallorca Airport are currently suspended because of a drone in the airspace. Last landing was at 18:58 local time (5:58pm UK time). Several flights are diverting to other airports.”
Several aircraft were forced to reroute to nearby airports, with passengers left staring at departure boards piled high with delays.
Major Disruption for Thousands of Brits
Palma is a key hub for British tourists, handling thousands of flights daily. A flight arriving from Gatwick showed as delayed, suggesting it may have been turned away due to the drone alert.
Fortunately, planes were able to resume landings safely around 6:30pm UK time, easing fears of a prolonged shutdown.
More Travel Chaos Could Follow
The cause and operator of the drone remain a mystery. Authorities are investigating amid growing concerns over drone interference disrupting air travel at popular holiday hotspots.
