The budget airline has warned that holiday-goers could face problems in both departures and arrivals
Holidaymakers have been warned that delays are expected at one of the most popular Spanish airports.
Leading British airline and tour operator Jet2 has issued a warning to Brits flying to Majorca. Palma Airport is currently undergoing maintenance work and terminal changes, which will likely mean delays.
Jet2 has warned that holiday-goers could “be waiting slightly longer than normal” in both departures and arrivals. On its website the airline states: “There is currently maintenance work taking place at Majorca (Palma) Airport.
“We are working with the airport to ensure that any disruption to your airport experience will be kept to a minimum. Due to this ongoing work you may be waiting slightly longer than normal to clear immigration in both departures and arrivals, our friendly Customer Helpers will be on hand to help.
“We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding should you experience an extended wait time, which is beyond our control. All Jet2.com flights will be using check-in desks 31 to 33 and boarding for all flights will be from Module C. This information will also be displayed on the airport information screens.”
Majorca is a hub for sun hungry Brits looking for a break. Every year more than 2.3 million British tourists enjoy holidaying on the island, which accounts for around 26% of the total tourist traffic.
This week is not the first time that Brits have faced airport issues when heading out to the island. Back in 2022, weary tourists arriving at Palma de Majorca Airport said they were taking an average of nearly three hours after landing to reach the coaches waiting to take them to hotels.
The problems was blamed mainly on a lack of police at passport control, especially on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays when most of the flights bringing in package holidaymakers land in Majorca. The long delays at passport control had a knock-on effect, leading to people arriving at their hotels much later than planned. Since the UK left the EU, those wielding British passports have regularly been confronted by long queues of their compatriots at customs when leaving the airport.
Tensions between locals and tourists have been flaring in Majorca in recent weeks, as they have in other parts of Spain It was reported in February that some Spanish locals had been erecting fake signs om beaches in a bid to keep the pristine sands free of tourists. They warn of jellyfish and falling rocks at popular beauty spots on the Balearic island.
The community has formed its own activist group, known as the ‘Caterva’, which is taking a stand against tourists who they believe are damaging the environment. They have taken to writing out signs in English warning of deadly jellyfish and falling rocks, or even warning visitors that swimming is not allowed.
However, beneath the signs, another note – translated into Catalan – details how the problem isn’t the potential risks, but the influx of mass tourism. Barbs included “the problem isn’t rockfall, it’s mass tourism” as well as statements in Catalan saying the beach is “open, except for foreigners and jellyfish”, according to Forbes magazine.
Projections for 2023 suggested tourist numbers in Majorca could have been even higher than the 16million seen in 2022. Officials on the island introduced a number of measures to address concerns over tourism, including some targeting rowdy behaviour, but Caterva activists felt forced to take matters into their own hands.
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