Extreme Weather in Barcelona Strands Israeli Passengers Scheduled for Tel Aviv
Extreme weather in Barcelona strands Israeli passengers, delaying a Blue Bird flight to Tel Aviv for over 24 hours amid complaints of poor airline assistance.
Extreme weather hitting Barcelona has disrupted thousands of international travelers, including Israeli passengers trying to return home. Due to severe storms, flights from the European hub to Ben Gurion Airport and various other destinations have been canceled or severely delayed.
Among those affected are passengers on a Blue Bird Airways flight from Barcelona to Tel Aviv, which was originally scheduled to depart at 20:15 but faced a 24-hour delay. Passengers described spending an entire day waiting at the terminal amid chaotic conditions.
"The original departure time was 20:15, but we only boarded the plane at 22:20," said Ari, a passenger on the flight. After waiting on board for four hours, around 02:00, the flight crew announced that passengers had to disembark and return to the terminal due to worsening weather and crew duty time limitations.
By 04:00, travelers received their luggage back after hours in the terminal without accommodation support. Passengers reported receiving no hotel vouchers, food, or water from airline representatives, forcing everyone to fend for themselves across the city.
Airline representatives acknowledged the incident, explaining that severe weather caused the initial delay and disrupted crew scheduling. The airline stated that passengers will be compensated upon their return home.
