TUI cancels flights to popular Spanish island due to volcano eruption

ALL TUI flights to and from La Palma have been cancelled until February 2022.

The decision was taken because of disruption caused by the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano.

TUI has cancelled flights up to and including February 10, 2022. The next scheduled flight is February 17, 2022.

All affected customers are being offered a full refund or the opportunity to rebook.

Flights to other Canary Islands are going ahead, so Brits with bookings to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura will not be affected.

A spokesman from TUI said: “Due to the ongoing situation we’ve unfortunately had to cancel all flights to La Palma departing up to and including February 10, 2022.

“All impacted customers will be contacted directly to discuss their options.

“The next scheduled flight to La Palma is February 17, 2022.

“We’d like to reassure customers due to travel to any other Canary Islands that our flights are currently operating as planned, however, we will continue to monitor the situation and contact them should their holiday be impacted.

“We’d like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding during this time.”

The volcano first erupted on September 19, making this the longest volcanic eruption in La Palma’s history.

Authorities on the island ordered a four-hour mass lockdown on Monday to protect residents from poisonous gases which have gathered.

Ash and gas are being flung nearly four miles into the air.

TUI cancelled flights during October half term because of the volcano.

The holiday operator also announced it might slash more flights as a result of travel uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

TUI would follow in the footsteps of British Airways, which has scrapped more than 2,000 flights until February.

Similarly, Ryanair has cancelled all flights to and from Morocco until February.

The Moroccan government has put a ban on overseas flights until next week as the world races to contain the new Omicron variant, but Ryanair has decided to extend the timeframe due to “a lack of clarity” from the country.