Severe storm cells sweeping the Canary archipelago on 26 February forced multiple flight diversions and holding patterns, according to Spain’s air-traffic-controller union.
Services bound for La Gomera and Tenerife North were rerouted to Tenerife South, while aircraft heading to Lanzarote and Fuerteventura requested real-time course changes to skirt thunderheads.
Although no airports closed outright, controllers reported a spike in go-arounds and vectoring that stretched sector capacity. Airlines warned travellers to monitor apps and SMS alerts; crew duty-time limits mean some evening rotations could cancel if weather persists. The Canary Islands depend heavily on winter tourism and cargo flights supplying fresh produce to mainland Europe, so even short disruptions can ripple through supply chains.
![Storm Diverts Flights Across Canary Islands, Airlines Urge Passengers to Re-check Itineraries]()
For passengers who suddenly need to rearrange stopovers or extend stays because of these weather-driven delays, VisaHQ can help streamline any urgent visa or travel-document updates. Its Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) offers clear requirement checklists, fast processing options and live support—useful peace of mind when itineraries shift without warning.
Business travellers connecting in Madrid or Barcelona should allow extra buffer time, as missed onward connections may not be covered under EU261 compensation when weather is at fault. Relocation managers with assignees transiting via the islands—common for energy projects in West Africa—should check accommodation contingencies and remote-work setups.
Weather agency AEMET keeps the islands under orange alerts for rain and wind through Thursday night, with improved conditions forecast tomorrow. The incident underscores the importance of flexible travel policies as climate-driven volatility increases across Spain’s outlying territories.
Services bound for La Gomera and Tenerife North were rerouted to Tenerife South, while aircraft heading to Lanzarote and Fuerteventura requested real-time course changes to skirt thunderheads.
Although no airports closed outright, controllers reported a spike in go-arounds and vectoring that stretched sector capacity. Airlines warned travellers to monitor apps and SMS alerts; crew duty-time limits mean some evening rotations could cancel if weather persists. The Canary Islands depend heavily on winter tourism and cargo flights supplying fresh produce to mainland Europe, so even short disruptions can ripple through supply chains.
For passengers who suddenly need to rearrange stopovers or extend stays because of these weather-driven delays, VisaHQ can help streamline any urgent visa or travel-document updates. Its Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) offers clear requirement checklists, fast processing options and live support—useful peace of mind when itineraries shift without warning.
Business travellers connecting in Madrid or Barcelona should allow extra buffer time, as missed onward connections may not be covered under EU261 compensation when weather is at fault. Relocation managers with assignees transiting via the islands—common for energy projects in West Africa—should check accommodation contingencies and remote-work setups.
Weather agency AEMET keeps the islands under orange alerts for rain and wind through Thursday night, with improved conditions forecast tomorrow. The incident underscores the importance of flexible travel policies as climate-driven volatility increases across Spain’s outlying territories.
