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European air travel has been thrown into disarray on Thursday 06 November as Vueling Airlines, the Spanish-based carrier, announced a series of flight cancellations and delays affecting its network in Spain, the UK, France and Italy. For British expats living in Spain – and others travelling between the UK, continental Europe and Spain – these disruptions pose a significant headache. The airline reported multiple cancellations and a large number of delays, leaving passengers struggling with re-bookings, long waits at terminals and uncertainty about their travel plans. Reports indicate that some flights at major Spanish airports, including Barcelona‑El Prat Airport (BCN), have been particularly impacted. According to one report, Barcelona experienced almost 50 cancellations and approximately 45 delays in a single day of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. In a previous incident in October, Vueling was cited as cancelling 11 flights across Spain, Italy and Belgium and delaying many more, including at airports such as Alicante. What expats in Spain need to know As an expatriate based in Spain – or a traveller visiting friends or family from abroad – the ripple effects of this situation warrant attention. If you have booked with Vueling, or intend to travel on its routes between Spain and the UK, France or Italy, here are the practical implications: Check your booking status closely. With cancellations and delays reported, your flight may be affected even if you have not yet received notification. Understand your rights under EU regulations for flight disruptions. Vueling’s support pages confirm that cancellations and changes may occur due to adverse weather or operational issues. Prepare for longer waits at airports. Overcrowding, delays in rerouting passengers and busy terminals can all affect travel time and comfort. If travelling from Spain to the UK (or vice-versa) and using Vueling, consider alternative carriers or dates if your travel plans are flexible. For Spanish-resident expats wishing to travel at short notice, this disruption may reduce available seats and increase costs. Scale and causes of the disruption While Vueling has faced multiple disruptions recently, some of the most acute have been caused by severe weather conditions. In Catalonia, torrential rain and storm-alerts resulted in water accumulation on runways and visibility issues at Barcelona-El Prat. In earlier periods, the airline’s cancellation figures were among the highest in Spain: for example, during summer 2024, Vueling recorded 405 cancelled flights in the country. In total, monitoring platforms have noted that Vueling’s network suffered major irregularities during 2025, with both cancellations and delays affecting thousands of passengers. The precise number of affected routes for the most recent event is still emerging, yet it spans multiple countries and key airports such as Barcelona, Alicante and international hubs in the UK and France. The latest round of cancellations and delays from Vueling certainly underscores how vulnerable air-travel networks can be – even outside peak holiday periods. For expats in Spain, whether you travel regularly or rely on visitors coming in from the UK or elsewhere, this disruption is a clear signal to build in extra time, check your flights closely and ensure you’re equipped to handle changes. While the causes include weather and operational pressures, the result is the same: inconvenience, uncertainty and the risk of travel plans unraveling. Keeping abreast of developments with Vueling and airports involved will be key to avoiding the worst of the disruption
