Is it safe to travel to Spain and should I cancel my holiday after flooding disaster?

Flights have been diverted and trains have been suspended in Barcelona after the region was battered by torrential rain, causing the city’s airport to flood.

Spain’s transport minister, Óscar Puente, announced that a crisis committee has been set up to monitor the impact at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport after around 70 flights have been cancelled and 18 have been diverted.

Footage of the airport has circulated showing the floors of an airport terminal submerged in flood water while ceilings were leaking.

As the airport’s runway became flooded, Spain’s meteorological agency, Aemet, warned of “extreme danger” in Catalonia as a result of exponential rainfall.

The travel chaos in Barcelona comes after other areas of Eastern Spain, namely Valencia, Malaga and its surrounding areas were hit with devastating flash flooding last week, the worst flooding disaster the area has experienced in decades.

Rainstorms started on Tuesday (29 October) and continued into Wednesday. In the aftermath of the floods, cars have been piled on the street surrounded by a sea of debris from damaged buildings and structures.

More than 200 people have lost their lives after the flooding swept through streets, turning walkways into rivers and trapping people in their homes and on the roofs of cars.

It is the worst flood-related catastrophe Spain has witnessed since at least 1996 when 87 people died and 180 were injured in a flash flood near Biescas in the Pyrenees.

Aemet has now issued its most severe weather alert along the Barcelona coastline due to extreme torrential rain.

Here is the latest on the situation in Spain and what you need to know about travel.

Spain’s airport group, Aena, said as of Monday afternoon that there have so far been 70 flight cancellations and 18 diversions at El Prat airport amid the adverse weather.

Data from FlightRadar shows that the majority of arrivals on Monday afternoon, from UK, European and domestic destinations have been significantly delayed or cancelled. Many flights were able to land Monday morning, but did so at a delayed arrival time, with others diverted.

Many departures from El Prat have also been delayed or cancelled as of Monday afternoon.

Aena has advised those planning to travel to check with their airline about the status of their flight, as well as the status of road access to the airport with the Catalan Transit Service or Directorate-General for Traffic.

Aemet warned on X of a “very intense downpour” at the El Prat airport and in Baix Llobregat. “Be very careful! Do not travel unless strictly necessary!” they wrote.

The Spanish weather agency reports that 150 litres per square metre have already accumulated in the city’s airport in just four hours, with forecasts of over 180mm of rainfall expected in the area over the next 12 hours.

Puente announced a crisis committee has been set up to monitor the affected areas at the airport, after some areas of the terminals were affected by leaks, mainly in the public area at Terminal 1 and parking.

Local authorities called for extreme caution and urged people in Barcelona to avoid unnecessary travel and to keep away from rivers and beaches as even without rainfall they “can swell rapidly”.

Flights are not the only mode of transport that has been affected by the extreme weather, as train services were suspended until 2pm local time on Monday.

Puente said Monday afternoon they were slowly starting to restore traffic on their track in the El Prat train tunnel.

Several roads have also been closed due to the risk of flooding and landslides, but maintenance teams are already out on the roads and train tracks to try to kickstart traffic as soon as possible.

Simon Calder, travel correspondent at The Independent, says: “Whatever the cause of a cancellation, and regardless of the amount of notice that is given, you can insist upon replacement transport: the airline must get you to your destination as soon as possible if that is what you want.”

“The UK Civil Aviation Authority says that means if a flight is available on the original day of travel, the passenger must be booked on it – even if it is on a rival carrier.”

However, cash compensation may not be available, as the airlines may claim the extreme weather means that “meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned”, which means that the cancellation was not the airline’s fault.

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Torrential rain, which has amounted to a year’s worth in just eight hours in one region, hit cities such as Valencia and Malaga last week causing serious flash flooding.

At least 217 people have died, but as search and rescue teams try to locate many who are unaccounted for, more rain is also predicted in some of the worst-affected areas.

Thousands of people faced power and water cuts and shortages of essentials last week, especially in the eastern region which was the worst affected.

Flooding has now hit Barcelona due to intense downfalls battering the region. Footage shows cars submerged and rainwater overwhelming towns in the region.

As of 4 November, the UK’s Foreign Office (FCDO) travel advice said that journeys may be affected due to severe weather and flooding affecting many areas of southern and eastern Spain, particularly in the Valencia region and Castilla La Mancha.

The FCDO advises checking the latest weather warnings from Spain’s meteorological office before travelling and following the instructions from local authorities.

In terms of the Foreign Office’s general advice about travelling to a destination that has been impacted by flooding, they warn that the flood waters can cause devastation and loss of life. After a flood, they also warn that there is an increased risk of water-borne diseases and transport infrastructure can be severely impacted.

The European Meteorological Services advises to only travel if a journey is essential in coastal Barcelona.

“Extreme or catastrophic damages to people and properties may occur, especially to those vulnerable or in exposed areas,” they wrote.

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Severe weather warnings were issued by Spain’s meteorological office Aemet on Monday.

The Barcelona coastline was put on an “extreme risk” red warning for torrential rainfall early on Monday, but by the afternoon, the rain risk was lowered to a yellow warning.

Local authorities issued an alert to mobile phones in coastal regions as the community braced for “continuous and torrential rains” on Monday.

“Significant risk” orange warnings are also in place for other areas of eastern Spain, including areas of Tarragona, as well as yellow warnings for Lleida, Castellon, northern Tarragona, Huesca, inland Barcelona as well as Caceres in western Spain.

Aemet said that showers will hit the west and northeast quadrant of the peninsula through Monday and Tuesday, with some accompanied by strong or very strong storms, but will be “less [intense] than last week”.

From Wednesday to Sunday, showers are expected in the Balearic Islands, which could be heavy, and rainfall also likely on the Mediterranean coast.

As the Foreign Office has not warned against non-essential travel to Spain, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund.

The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it’s best to contact them if you’re looking to postpone.

There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim travel insurance due to safety concerns unless the Foreign Office advice changes.

In terms of travel insurance, some policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast