A leak at Palma airport in the Balearic Islands was first detected on Friday and was reportedly resolved by the AENA airport authority – but workers insist it is still ongoing
Baggage handlers at Palma airport are up in arms over claims that a pipe leak, which is causing their work area to flood with sewage water, has not been properly addressed.
Despite the AENA airport authority’s management stating the issue was resolved after its initial report on Friday, workers on Saturday insisted the problem is ongoing, with water continuing to inundate their workspace. The affected zone can host up to 180 staff, especially during the weekend rush.
The employees are adamant the leak is from a sewage pipe, citing the discoloured water and stench exacerbated by the heat. “AENA is not taking any measures, and we are working here with terrible smells,” one worker expressed to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
READ MORE: Heathrow Airport passengers disgusted as ‘sewage’ water drips onto arrivals area
Union leaders attribute the leak to ongoing construction at Palma airport, which they claim is wreaking havoc and distress among the workforce. The CCOO union has reached its limit, declaring that “this situation cannot continue any longer” as frustration escalates.
They have communicated their grievances to the airport director, Tomás Melgar, highlighting the “enormous interference in the daily lives of people who work at the airport.”
Additionally, the union pointed to a recent incident where part of the arrivals area ceiling caved in, showering glass and debris below, as evidence of the unacceptable conditions faced by airport staff. This event occurred just over 10 days ago, further illustrating the precarious state of the workplace environment.
In a remarkable stroke of fortune, no one was hurt when parts of the ceiling came crashing down at the airport, swiftly followed by security measures to seal off the area. Passengers and staff were reportedly engulfed in dust during renovations at the airport earlier in January, sparking numerous complaints.
A staff member expressed their dismay: “Neither employees or passengers could breathe and many people were slipping because of the dust on the ground.” They added: “Having to work in these sorts of conditions is disgraceful.”
Last year, passengers at London Heathrow Airport were left holding their noses after a suspected “sewage” water leak fell onto the arrivals baggage area. A customer captured on camera the moment where “sewage” water fell from the ceiling above a baggage carousel at Terminal 5. The footage shows murky water cascading from the ceiling onto a baggage carousel at approximately 8.45am on October 27, 2024.
One flyer, who jetted in from Edinburgh to the capital city, claimed the stench of “urine and old sewage” hit them as they neared the scene. Preferring to remain anonymous, the passenger recounted: “As we were walking through I could hear water dripping. I thought it was raining but I noticed it was nice and sunny outside.”
The Mirror has contacted AENA for comment on the Palma airport incident.