Barcelona-El Prat (BCN): Strike Getting Worse

The Groundforce indefinite strike (1,179 workers) that began 4 August is now in its second week.

150–170 flights have already been cancelled, with 18 more cancellations on 13 August alone.

Around 3,000 bags are currently stranded; passengers face 5+ hour waits to reclaim luggage.

Minimum service levels remain between 35% and 80%, depending on route type.

Airlines heavily affected include Lufthansa Group, Air France, KLM, United, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Jet2.com, and others served by Groundforce.

Palma de Mallorca (PMI): Parallel Indefinite Strike

Nearly 600 Swissport workers began an indefinite strike on 4 August.

Airlines affected include Condor, TUI, Air Canada, Sunclass, Etihad, Alba Star, TAP Air Portugal.

Minimum service levels have not yet been published, increasing uncertainty.

Update 14th August

The most important takeaway: Europe’s flight landscape is currently shaped by volcanic disruptions, fuel driven cancellations, and a wave of new route launches, giving travellers both challenges and fresh opportunities.

Latest Europe Flight & Travel News (August 2026)

Volcanic Disruptions: Mount Etna Causes Major Chaos
Catania Airport has repeatedly suspended flights due to fresh ash emissions from Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano. This has led to widespread cancellations and delays across Sicily and even Malta.

On 12 August 2026, volcanic ash and hub congestion triggered 2,204 delays and 229 cancellations across Europe, heavily affecting Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, Rome, and Paris. Catania alone accounted for 43% of all cancellations.

Jet Fuel Crisis: Airlines Cutting Routes

Jet fuel prices in Europe have surged 105.7% year on year, forcing airlines to cancel or suspend flights.
Lufthansa has removed 20,000 short haul flights from its schedule through October 2026.
KLM has cut 160 flights from Amsterdam Schiphol.

Turkish Airlines has suspended thousands of services across 23 international routes.
Norse Atlantic has suspended its London Gatwick–Los Angeles route entirely.
Travel Regulation Update: ETIAS Delayed Indefinitely

The EU has officially postponed ETIAS, the new travel permit for visa free visitors, with no new launch date announced.
Travellers are advised not to apply or pay for any ETIAS services at this time.
New Flight Routes Across Europe (Autumn/Winter 2026)

Long Haul & Seasonal Additions

Air Canada: New non stop flights from Toronto → Tenerife and Montréal → Tenerife starting late October.
Air France: Returning to the Maldives (from 18 December) and expanding service to Punta Cana.

Winter & Leisure Routes – Discover Airlines (Lufthansa Group): New route Munich → Ivalo (Finnish Lapland) – New Morocco routes: Frankfurt → Agadir, Munich → Fès – easyJet: Launching 13 new winter routes from 10 UK airports, including its first service to Nuremberg.

Summer 2026 Route Expansions

Finnair: Adding 14 new destinations, including Stavanger, Umeå, Catania, Luxembourg, Florence, Alta, Tirana, Valencia, Kos, Turin, Thessaloniki, Toronto, Kuressaare, and Melbourne.

New direct route London → Guernsey (first in 40 years) – New flights to Tivat, Montenegro – Added St. Louis, USA to its network

What This Means for Travellers in Europe (Especially from Spain)
Expect delays if flying through major hubs like Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, or Rome.
Check Catania related itineraries twice—Etna disruptions are ongoing.

Watch fuel related cancellations, especially with Lufthansa, KLM, and Turkish Airlines.
Enjoy new leisure routes for autumn/winter escapes, including Tenerife, Lapland, Morocco, and the Maldives.
Ignore ETIAS application offers—the system is not active.