Spain and Portugal blackout: Global tourism expert issues advice on what to do if your flight is delayed or cancelled

Flights were delayed and cancelled, airports plunged into darkness and many tourists were left without accommodation after the blackout threw travel plans into chaos.

As things begin to return to normal on Tuesday it's vital that tourists know their rights, says travel expert Matt Mavir, who runs the UK's largest stag and hen do organiser Last Night of Freedom.

“It’s easy to lose your head when everything goes black and the departure board goes blank, but the best thing you can do is stay calm, get as much info as possible and be flexible,” advised Matt.

The Last Night of Freedom team, based at its Newcastle headquarters, have been working hard to ensure customers partying in resorts like Benidorm, Albufeira and Barcelona are safe.

“We’ve had groups caught up in the blackout mess,” continued Matt.

“Our advice is simple: stay in touch with your airline, document everything, and if you’re stuck overnight, ask the airline to cover costs – if they’re a UK-based airline, they will be legally obliged to do so in most cases.”

The enormous outage, reportedly triggered by a rare glitch in the electricity grid, affected large swathes of Spain and Portugal with airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon and Porto among the worst affected and hundreds of flights delayed or cancelled.

Lights went out and air-conditioning units shut down - with some bars in Benidorm even forced to stop serving beer - just as hundreds of Brits were ready to jet off or return from their pre-wedding blowouts.

Power companies say they’ve restored the majority of services, but delays are still expected across affected transport hubs.

And Matt has provided some urgent advice for those still experiencing travel pain.

What are your rights when travel plans go wrong?

If your flight is cancelled or delayed, don’t panic – you may have more rights than you realise, writes Matt.

If your flight is covered by UK law, airlines are legally obliged to look after passengers during disruptions. That includes providing meals, accommodation if needed, and finding you an alternative route to your destination, all at no extra cost.

If you no longer wish to travel, you’re entitled to a full refund for any unused portion of your ticket.

If your outbound flight is cancelled but you booked a return, you can claim for the full return fare.

In many cases, airlines must book you on another flight, even if it's with a rival airline or by another mode of transport, if it gets you there sooner.

However, if the disruption is due to "extraordinary circumstances" - which is how the power cut chaos is likely to be categorised - you’re unlikely to be eligible for extra compensation.

Compensation kicks in when the issue is deemed the airline’s fault and notice of cancellation was less than two weeks before departure. Depending on how far you were flying, you could claim between £220 and £520 per person under UK law.

If you're stranded, airlines must also cover:

• Food and drink (usually via vouchers)
• Overnight accommodation and transport to get there
• Costs of calls or messages to rearrange plans

If they don’t offer this, you can pay and claim back later – just keep receipts and don’t go overboard.

You may also be able to recover additional losses like hotel bookings through your travel insurance or credit card provider, but coverage varies.

One thing airlines and insurers won’t cover? Missed work. You’ll need to speak with your employer about using leave or making other arrangements.

Travellers are urged to check with their airlines and tour operators before heading to the airport and to keep an eye on official updates.

For groups booked through Last Night of Freedom, Matt assured: “We’re on it. We’re supporting all our customers and helping them get back on track.