Spain General Strike Cancels Palma Flights to Madrid and Barcelona

Spain's 24-hour general strike on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, has forced cancellations at Palma de Mallorca Airport on routes to Madrid and Barcelona, the country's two busiest aviation hubs. Airport operator Aena confirmed the disruptions in information reported by Europa Press at 9:42 a.m. local time.

No definitive count of cancelled flights existed as of that morning, and the operational picture may shift throughout the day. That gap matters for an airport that functions as the gateway for the entire Balearic archipelago.

Which routes are affected?

Cancellations have hit two categories of service:

• Mainland connections between Palma and Madrid and Barcelona
• Inter-island flights linking Mallorca with Menorca, Ibiza and other airports in the archipelago

The inter-island cancellations carry particular weight. Island residents and visitors have fewer alternatives than passengers moving between mainland cities, where rail and road options exist — though the same strike is also reducing bus and rail frequencies across Spain.

Aena's data does not mean every Mallorca–mainland service is grounded. Individual airlines are adjusting schedules according to staffing availability and the legally established minimum-service levels, so some departures will operate.

What does the minimum-service rule require?

Spain's Ministry of Transport has set protected operating levels of 68% to 75% for Balearic airports, varying by airport and flight category. In practical terms, roughly seven in ten scheduled flights at the affected islands must be preserved as essential connections.

The percentages require careful reading. A 68% floor does not imply the remaining 32% of flights will automatically be cancelled. Actual cancellations depend on each airline's schedule, staffing arrangements and the routes selected for protection. The ministry's framework sets a ceiling on disruption, not a forecast of it.

What should passengers do?

Aena has published a warning advising passengers travelling through Palma on November 11 to check directly with their airline before starting their journey. The operator's guidance covers several specific scenarios:

• Verify both departing and connecting flights, particularly on separate reservations
• Check whether an alternative departure is available later on November 11 or on November 12
• Contact hotels, cruise operators or other providers if a cancellation affects the rest of the itinerary

The connecting-flight risk is the sharpest one. Passengers with onward international departures from Madrid or Barcelona may face complications if their Palma feeder service is cancelled, and separate-ticket travellers have the weakest protection.

Passengers whose flights are cancelled may be entitled to a refund or alternative transport under European passenger-rights legislation. Additional financial compensation depends on the cause of the disruption and the circumstances of each cancellation — a strike does not automatically trigger or exclude it.

The industrial action runs through the whole of Wednesday, and further schedule changes remain possible. Passengers can track current flight information through their airline and Aena's official website, and anyone flying from Mallorca this week would be wise to treat the published schedule as provisional rather than final.