Flight FR 2406, scheduled to depart from Barcelona at 22:45 on Monday, did not take off until approximately 00:30 on Tuesday. The airline cited "air traffic collapse" and the imminent closure of Seville airport. The aircraft eventually landed at Málaga, which operates 24 hours, around 2:00 AM.
Seville airport closes daily at 1:00 AM, with extensions possible until 3:30 AM upon request. However, this was not feasible due to runway maintenance. This incident occurred amidst numerous other delays at Barcelona-El Prat that evening.
“"The situation became complicated with the other two vehicles, for which affected passengers had to wait up to two more hours."
In Málaga, Ryanair provided three buses. The first, for passengers with disabilities and families, departed shortly after landing. The other two faced delays of up to two hours, with issues in assigning seats, leading one passenger to suggest a lottery. One bus reached Seville at 7:15 AM, and the other at approximately 8:00 AM, concluding a journey over nine hours longer than initially planned.
Extending Seville airport's operating hours to 24 hours is a recurring political demand. In December, the Seville City Council approved a proposal from the Popular Party to enhance the airport's competitiveness and explore international connections, drawing comparisons with Málaga airport's round-the-clock operations.
