Large parts of Spain and Portugal are currently facing power outages, resulting in traffic jams, airport lags, and public transport issues.

Reuters reported that Spain’s electricity transmission operator Red Eléctrica expect the issue to persist for hours.

Portugal’s electricity transmission operator Rede Eletrica Nacional said the problem was due to extreme temperature variations, which resulted in a “rare” atmospheric phenomenon, the BBC said.

Work is under way to gradually recover electricity – with reports suggesting power has already returned in some parts of Spain.

Rory Boland, editor of customer advocacy publication Which? Travel, said: “The power outages in Spain and Portugal will have a significant knock-on effect for those travelling to and from both countries.”

For those currently in the affected countries, Boland advised to “follow the advice from local emergency services and government”.

But if you have booked holidays in any affected areas in the next few days or weeks, the consumer advocate said it’s important not to cancel your trip.

“If your flight or holiday is several days or weeks away, the best advice is to not cancel as you will lose money and won’t be able to claim via travel insurance,” Boland shared.

If you are expected to travel to Portugal or Spain over the next couple of days, meanwhile, the expert advised to “check the advice from your airport or tour operator or airline apps and airport social media feeds for the most up to date advice”.

He said it’s the responsibility of the airline to look after passengers on any cancelled flight, no matter why the flight is cancelled.

“That means putting you on an alternate flight to get you to your destination, if needed, or you can accept a refund,” he added.

“You are almost certainly better off insisting on rerouting if you still intend to travel, as flights will be expensive.”

Boland advised travellers who are currently inconvenienced by the power cuts, or who will be affected by changes over the next couple of days, to document everything.

“If you are stuck because your flight has been cancelled or delayed and need to buy a meal, or need a hotel overnight, make sure you keep the receipts as you will be able to claim this back from the airline,” he said.

Follow your airline’s guidance and stick to the government’s rules in the meantime.