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Thousands of travellers were left stranded in Europe today as wave of flight disruptions impacted Spain, England, France, Portugal, Netherlands, and Türkiye, with 1,263 delays and 34 cancellations across London Heathrow Airport, London (6 cancellations, 96 delays); Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Amsterdam (4 cancellations, 151 delays); Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris (1 cancellation, 144 delays); João Paulo II Airport, Ponta Delgada (4 cancellations, 8 delays); Humberto Delgado Airport, Lisbon (4 cancellations, 132 delays); Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Istanbul (3 cancellations, 102 delays); Istanbul Airport, Istanbul (1 cancellation, 90 delays); London Gatwick Airport, London (1 cancellation, 63 delays); Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, Madrid (2 cancellations, 150 delays); Madeira Airport, Funchal (5 cancellations, 19 delays); Barcelona–El Prat Airport, Barcelona (175 delays); Valencia Airport, Valencia (1 cancellation, 22 delays); and Paris Orly Airport, Paris (2 cancellations, 111 delays).
The most affected airlines include Vueling Airlines (99 delays), Turkish Airlines (82 delays, 2 cancellations), Transavia (77 delays), easyJet (71 delays, 5 cancellations), Pegasus Airlines (69 delays, 2 cancellations), TAP Air Portugal (67 delays), Air France (67 delays), KLM (65 delays), Ryanair (51 delays), and British Airways (43 delays). In terms of cancellations, SATA Air Açores (6 cancellations) and Air Europa Express (4 cancellations) were among the most impacted. Other major carriers such as Lufthansa, Emirates, Finnair, and United Airlines also reported operational disruptions.
These disruptions span cities including Funchal, London, Amsterdam, Ponta Delgada, Lisbon, Istanbul, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Paris, across countries such as Portugal, England, Netherlands, Türkiye, Spain, and France.

• Updated today: European airports recorded 1,263 delays and 34 cancellations across major hubs
• Barcelona and Amsterdam emerged as the most delay-heavy airports
• Vueling Airlines reported the highest number of delays among all carriers
• SATA Air Açores led in cancellations despite operating fewer routes
• London Heathrow saw the highest disruption levels in England
• Lisbon and Madrid experienced heavy operational congestion with multiple airlines affected
• Istanbul’s two major airports reported high delays but relatively low cancellations
• Low-cost carriers like easyJet and Ryanair were widely impacted across regions

Most Affected European Airports

London Heathrow Airport

Heavy congestion at Heathrow disrupted multiple airlines, with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Etihad Airways facing notable delays.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

One of the busiest hubs, Schiphol saw extensive delays impacting KLM, Transavia, and Lufthansa operations.

Barcelona–El Prat Airport

Barcelona recorded the highest number of delays, with Vueling Airlines, Ryanair, and Wizz Air significantly affected.

Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport

Madrid experienced widespread delays across Iberia, Air Europa, and Air Nostrum networks.

Charles de Gaulle Airport

Paris CDG disruptions primarily impacted Air France, Lufthansa, and Emirates services.

Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon)

Lisbon operations were heavily affected, especially for TAP Air Portugal, easyJet, and Ryanair.

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

Istanbul’s secondary airport saw major delays involving Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

Istanbul Airport

The main Istanbul hub recorded high delays led by Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa.

Paris Orly Airport

Orly disruptions impacted Transavia France, Vueling Airlines, and Air Corsica.

Airlines Most Affected by Europe Flight Cancellations and Delays

Vueling Airlines

Vueling Airlines recorded the highest delay count, with widespread disruption particularly in Barcelona, Paris Orly, and other Spanish routes, reflecting operational strain across its network.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines experienced extensive delays across both Istanbul airports, alongside a smaller number of cancellations, indicating congestion at key transit hubs.

Transavia

Transavia operations, including its French division, faced significant delays, especially in Amsterdam and Paris Orly, affecting regional European connectivity.

easyJet

easyJet reported a high volume of delays and several cancellations across multiple airports, highlighting widespread network disruption typical of high-frequency low-cost operations.

Pegasus Airlines

Pegasus Airlines saw a concentration of delays at Sabiha Gökçen Airport along with cancellations, pointing to localized operational challenges.

TAP Air Portugal

TAP Air Portugal faced major delays centered in Lisbon, reflecting pressure on Portugal’s primary hub and its connecting routes.

Air France

Air France operations were heavily delayed at Charles de Gaulle Airport, consistent with congestion at one of Europe’s busiest international hubs.

KLM

KLM experienced substantial delays at Amsterdam Schiphol, affecting both domestic and international routes.

Ryanair

Ryanair reported delays across multiple Spanish and Portuguese airports, reflecting network-wide operational impact.

British Airways

British Airways was among the most affected carriers at Heathrow, contributing significantly to the UK’s disruption totals.

What Can Impacted Passengers Do?

• Check real-time flight status updates directly with airlines
• Stay in contact with airline customer support for rebooking options
• Arrive early at airports to accommodate delays and long queues
• Keep essential items and documents easily accessible
• Monitor airport announcements for gate or schedule changes
• Be flexible with travel plans where possible

Learn More

Overview of Europe Flight Cancellations

Flight disruptions across Europe today, May 5, highlight widespread operational pressure across key aviation markets. Major airlines such as Vueling Airlines, Turkish Airlines, easyJet, Ryanair, Air France, and KLM were among the most affected, with delays dominating the disruption profile.
Cities including London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Paris, Istanbul, Valencia, Funchal, and Ponta Delgada experienced varying degrees of disruption, with hubs like Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Madrid leading in total delays. Meanwhile, Lisbon, London, and Ponta Delgada also reported notable cancellation figures.
Across countries such as Portugal, England, Netherlands, Spain, France, and Türkiye, airline operations were impacted at scale. Airports in London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Paris, and Istanbul appeared multiple times among the most disrupted, reinforcing the widespread nature of today’s aviation challenges. Author’s Note: Data has been compiled manually from FlightAware and may change with real-time updates. Airlines may adjust schedules for operational and safety reasons, so travelers should monitor live updates, review rebooking policies, and remain flexible with their plans.
Overall, while delays significantly outweighed cancellations, the geographic spread of disruptions across Portugal, England, the Netherlands, Spain, France, and Türkiye indicates a coordinated strain on European air travel networks.

Source: Different airports and FlightAware