Europe Heatwave Impact 2026: Flights and Trains Recovered in Early July, Then Wildfires and Renewed Heat Pushed Delays Back Up

Last updated: Jul 29, 2026

Europe’s flight and rail networks recovered from June’s heatwave disruption by early July, but a new wave of heat and wildfires since mid-July has pushed network delays back up and triggered a fresh rail suspension.

As of 29 July, Eurocontrol data show average flight delay per flight has more than doubled from its early-July low, driven mainly by wildfires in France and Spain rather than heat itself. A major new wildfire emergency in France and Spain has forced a rail suspension south of Bordeaux, while the Rhine’s low water and a stabilised-but-large wildfire near Zaragoza remain live issues.

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Flight Delays Eased in Early July, Then Rose Again With New Wildfires

Average delay per flight fell to its lowest point of the summer in the second week of July, then rose sharply again as wildfires and renewed heat spread across France and Spain.

Eurocontrol’s weekly network data show average air traffic flow management (ATFM) delay per flight bottomed out at 2.66 minutes for the week of 6 to 12 July. It climbed to 4.38 minutes the following week and then to 5.70 minutes for 20 to 26 July, a 30% jump in a single week.

Week (2026)	Avg. ATFM Delay per Flight	vs. Prior Week	Main Driver
22–28 June	3.67 minutes	Peak of second heatwave	Severe weather
29 June–5 July	3.37 minutes	Down 8%	Fewer severe weather incidents
6–12 July	2.66 minutes	Down 21%	Ordinary capacity and staffing constraints
13–19 July	4.38 minutes	Up sharply	France capacity, staffing and system transition; renewed weather
20–26 July	5.70 minutes	Up 30%	Weather (61% of delay), wildfire-related airspace disruption in France and Spain

France (30% of network delay), Germany (16%) and Austria (11%) generated the largest shares of delay in the week of 20 to 26 July. Eurocontrol attributes most of this to weather and to airspace disruption around the wildfires burning in southwest France and central Spain, rather than to the original June heat episode.

Air traffic control has been rerouting arrival and departure corridors around Madrid to avoid wildfire smoke plumes, adding knock-on delay across Western Europe.
Bordeaux Airport says commercial flights are operating normally despite nearby fires, though hotels next to the airport have been evacuated on local authority orders.
Arrival punctuality across the network fell about 4 percentage points in the week of 20 to 26 July compared with the prior week.

For travellers, this means the risk of a weather- or wildfire-linked delay is currently higher than it was in early July, even though it is not yet back at June’s peak. Check your flight status before heading to the airport, especially if you are flying via France or Spain.

Trains: June’s Heat Cancellations Ended, But Wildfires Have Triggered a New Suspension

The rail cancellations that hit France, Belgium, the UK and Germany in late June were tied to that specific hot spell and have not recurred for the same reason.

SNCF’s roughly 71 cancelled Intercités services and Eurostar’s suspended London-Paris departures were both linked to the 22 to 26 June heat peak, not an ongoing heat restriction.

A separate, unrelated suspension is active now. Wildfires in the Gironde region near Bordeaux have forced SNCF to halt all passenger and freight trains for around 100 kilometres south of the city.

All TGV, Intercité and regional (TER) services toward Arcachon, Hendaye and Tarbes are cancelled.
SNCF has extended free cancellation and exchange of affected tickets through 31 July.
The suspension is for fire-safety and emergency-access reasons, not heat-related track buckling, and will likely continue until the fires are brought under control.

Deutsche Bahn’s standing heat policy, confirmed on 17 July, is unaffected by this and remains in place for future heat alerts.

Applies to long-distance tickets, including discount fares, plus connected regional legs and seat reservations.
Can be used whenever Deutsche Bahn declares an extreme-heat period, not only during the June dates it first covered.
Aims to ease overcrowding and protect passengers who are vulnerable to heat, according to the operator.

Other operators have not announced similar standing heat policies. Check your operator’s own app or website before you travel, since services can be cut at short notice for either a new heat alert or a wildfire.

What’s Still Disrupting Travel Right Now

Two heat-linked problems remain active in late July, and a new wildfire emergency in Spain has widened well beyond the fire this article originally tracked near Zaragoza.

Rhine River Low Water Has Worsened

The Rhine’s water level at the Kaub gauge, a key chokepoint near Frankfurt, has fallen further since mid-July, dropping from around 40 to 53 centimetres to roughly 27 to 30 centimetres by 28 July.

Cargo vessels are now sailing at roughly 10% of normal capacity through Kaub, and river cruise operators continue running partially loaded ships.
Some rain is forecast later this week, but continued dry, hot weather means further falls are also possible.
If you have a Rhine river cruise booked, ask your operator whether your itinerary now swaps some sailings for coach transfers.

Zaragoza Fire Stabilised, But a Much Larger Wildfire Emergency Has Followed

The wildfire near Zaragoza that this article previously tracked was stabilised around 19 July after burning roughly 14,400 to 15,400 hectares, smaller than earlier estimates suggested, with no major airport disruption reported.

Since then, Spain has declared a national wildfire emergency, with more than 150,000 hectares burned nationwide by 26 July and over 100,000 people evacuated or told to stay indoors, mainly in the Madrid region.

Madrid’s Barajas Airport remains open, but air traffic control is rerouting flights around smoke plumes, adding to the network-wide delay increase described above.
A high-speed rail corridor between Madrid and Barcelona has faced service disruption tied to the fires and heat-related track precautions.
For the full country-by-country picture of which parts of Europe are under alert, see our companion guide on which European countries are affected.

No major flight cancellations have been confirmed in Spain as of 29 July, but the situation is changing quickly. Check your airline and rail operator directly before travelling to central Spain or southwest France.

More Heat Waves Are Likely Before Summer Ends

Europe has now had multiple heatwaves since late May, and health authorities warn more are likely before the season is over.

The World Health Organization’s European office said on 7 July that more deadly weeks of extreme heat could still lie ahead for the region.

Late May: the first wave broke regional records across Spain, the UK, Germany, France and Ireland.
Mid-to-late June: the most disruptive wave for transport, with France’s hottest day since 1947 and the flight and rail cancellations described above.
Mid-to-late July: renewed heat has fed the Rhine’s low water and helped fuel the wildfires now burning across France and Spain, which are driving the current rise in flight delays and the new rail suspension.

Forecasters expect this pattern to continue, with spells of extreme heat separated by short recoveries and southern Europe most exposed. Treat the practical advice below as a standing checklist for the rest of the summer, not a one-time reaction to any single event.

Your Rights If a Flight or Train Is Disrupted

Extreme weather counts as an “extraordinary circumstance” under EU rules, so airlines usually do not owe cash compensation when heat, wildfires or storms cause a delay or cancellation.

Two rights still apply regardless of the cause, for flights leaving the EU or arriving in the EU on an EU airline under Regulation 261/2004.

Right to care: meals, refreshments, and a hotel plus transfers if you are stranded overnight. Keep receipts if you pay yourself.
Right to a refund or rerouting: if your flight is cancelled, you can choose a full refund or a seat on the next available flight.

Rail passengers are covered too. Deutsche Bahn’s standing heat policy, SNCF’s free rebooking during the Gironde wildfires, and PKP Intercity’s refunds during June’s Polish rail damage all went beyond the legal minimum, so check your operator’s own policy before rebooking out of pocket.

How to Protect Your Summer Trip if Heat or Wildfires Disrupt Travel Again

Most heat-linked disruption still clusters in the afternoon, whichever wave is passing through, so shifting your day earlier remains a strong general fix.

You cannot control the weather or wildfires, but a few habits make a real difference when a new alert is issued.

Fly and sightsee in the morning. Heat, storms and closures all peak after midday.
Avoid the last flight or train of the day. It has the least slack to recover from a delay.
Check live status before you leave. Use the airline or rail app, and track your flight on the Wego flight tracker.
Ask about your operator’s heat or emergency policy before you rebook out of pocket. Deutsche Bahn’s standing waiver and SNCF’s wildfire rebooking are two examples; others vary by country.
Carry water, a hat and sunscreen, and check regional wildfire and road alerts if you are heading to southwest France or central Spain.

For a country-by-country view of current alerts, see our guide on which European countries are under heat alerts. For how long this pattern of waves is expected to continue, see how long the Europe heatwave will last.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my flight to Europe still likely to be delayed by heat?

Delay risk has risen again since early July. Eurocontrol data show average delay per flight fell to 2.66 minutes by mid-July, then climbed to 5.70 minutes by 26 July as wildfires in France and Spain, plus renewed heat, disrupted the network.

Can I get compensation if heat or wildfires disrupt my flight?

Usually not in cash, because extreme weather is an “extraordinary circumstance” under EU rules. You keep the right to care, such as meals and a hotel if stranded overnight, and the right to a full refund or rerouting if the flight is cancelled.

Are trains still being cancelled, and why?

Yes, but for a different reason than June. The late-June heat cancellations on SNCF and Eurostar ended, but wildfires near Bordeaux have forced a new SNCF suspension south of the city, extended through at least 31 July.

Is the Zaragoza wildfire still affecting flights to Spain?

The original Zaragoza fire was stabilised around 19 July with no major airport disruption. Spain has since declared a national wildfire emergency elsewhere in the country, and Madrid’s airport remains open but is seeing flights rerouted around smoke.

Is it still worth travelling to Europe this summer?

Yes, with more active checking than in early July. Flight delays and rail disruption have risen again due to wildfires and renewed heat, so plan mornings for travel and check your airline or rail app closer to departure.

Sources

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