El Hierro Airport

El Hierro Airport is one of the smaller airports in Spain, located in the Canary Islands. While larger airports like Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat handle millions of passengers annually, El Hierro serves a significantly smaller number. Recently, the airport's operations have been impacted by a significant episode of 'calima,' a Saharan dust haze affecting the Canary Islands. This event, occurring around March 31, 2026, led to flight diversions and cancellations at Canarian airports, including El Hierro. The dust also prompted health warnings from the Servicio Canario de Salud, activating contingency plans to address potential health issues related to the poor air quality. While not explicitly stated in the articles, the event highlights the vulnerability of smaller airports like El Hierro to weather-related disruptions.