TUI has announced that it is cancelling all flights to and from La Palma due to ongoing disruption caused following the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island.

The holiday operator has cancelled flights until February 10, 2022, with the next flight currently scheduled for February 17.

The rest of the firm's Spain holidays including the other Canary Islands are currently unaffected.

A statement from the firm assured holidaymakers who are impacted that they would be contacted to discuss options. When a travel company cancels your flight/holiday, you are entitled to a refund, although you can usually also opt for alternatives such as rebooking or credit vouchers if you prefer.

A statement posted on the TUI website read: "Due to the ongoing situation we’ve unfortunately had to cancel all flights to La Palma departing up to and including 10 February 2022. All impacted customers will be contacted directly to discuss their options.

"The next scheduled flight to La Palma is 17 February 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."

A view of the Cumbre Vieja erupting

The Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted on September 19, causing thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes as the lava engulfed some of the surrounding landscape.

Since then there has been ongoing seismic activity, although in recent days there have been reports that the volcano could be starting to quieten down.

The volcanic eruption has caused disruption to holiday plans and flights, as the airport has been forced a number of times due to volcanic ash build-up.

According to aviation analysts Cirium, a total of 23 flights have been cancelled between December 14-15 because of fumes released by the volcano - this data is based across all airlines flying to the Canary Islands.

The Foreign Office travel advice for Spain, which encompasses the Canaries, warns: "The volcanic eruption and seismic activity continue on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma. Some areas in the municipalities of Los Llanos de Aridane, Tazacorte and El Paso have been evacuated.

"If you are in an affected area, you should follow the advice of local authorities, including social media updates from Cabildo de La Palma. If you are planning to travel to the island imminently, you are encouraged to contact your tour operators/airlines."

Due to the emergence of the Omicron variant, Spain recently changed its entry rules for Brits, which also applies for those travelling to the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano pictured in late November 2021 (
Image:
REUTERS)

Under the new rules, anyone aged over 12 will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid, meaning having received both doses of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travel. (Children under 12 are exempt provided they are travelling with a vaccinated adult).

Passengers will also need to fill out a pre-travel form and obtain a QR code to show at border control upon arrival.

Travel restrictions and rules can change quickly. You can find more information and other updates in the Foreign Office's Spain travel advice.

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