There is a risk of a bathing ban on popular beaches on the Balearic Islands

Because of the airport chaos, some flights from Mallorca to Germany are canceled. In the middle of the holiday season, another problem is looming on the Balearic island.

Munich/Palma de Mallorca – The Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain. The Balearic Islands. Majorca. They are places of longing for many German tourists. After two years of the coronavirus pandemic, the boom times are back. So expect Mallorca and the Balearic Islands loud Mallorca Magazine 14 million holidaymakers this season. In the first quarter, flight bookings from Germany to the islands were 21 percent higher than in 2019.

Mallorca: Boom among German vacationers, but problems at the airport

But: In summer there are plenty of problems for travelers to the Islas Baleares, as they are called in Spanish. On the one hand, there is the chaos at German airports. From processing to security checks to check-in – there is a lack of staff everywhere, which is why there have recently been a number of delays. Or the passengers were there, but not their luggage. On the other hand, the Spanish cabin crew of the low-cost airlines Easyjet and Ryanair recently went on strike.

The result: Only last Thursday (June 30) did Palma de Mallorca Airport report ten flight cancellations on its website, three of them in the direction of Germany, one each to Cologne, Düsseldorf and Berlin. There were also a number of delays in departures.

Palma de Mallorca: Lifeguards in the Balearic capital threaten to go on strike

And: Not only the Spanish cabin crew is on strike. Palma’s lifeguards also want to go on strike soon, according to Spanish media reports. The employees of the lifeguards on the beaches of the island’s capital should only earn 1000 euros a month, even with permanent employment.

In addition, there were intolerable working conditions, according to the criticism. A lifeguard usually has to monitor a section of beach of up to two kilometers alone, it is said. This is five times the legal requirements.

In 2021, a union for lifeguards was founded in Palma de Mallorca with its more than 400,000 inhabitants. This is now to consider a strike from 16 July. As the reports go on to say, it is not allowed to bathe on the beaches without lifeguards – because of the legal regulations.

Palma de Mallorca: Many German tourists vacation in the Balearic capital

So no beach holiday in Palma, where the notorious Ballermann stalls are located on the city beach? Not far away is the party mile “Schinkenstraße” with the open-air disco “Bierkönig”, which is particularly popular with German party holidaymakers. They, too, should hope for a quick compromise between lifeguards and their employers. (pm)