Air Traffic Resumes at Marseille Airport Despite Ongoing Wildfires
Marseille Provence Airport resumed flight operations at 9:30 a.m. on July 9, 2025, following a temporary closure on July 8 due to a nearby wildfire. However, travelers faced ongoing delays and cancellations throughout the day, with real-time flight updates and airline contact advised.
The wildfire, which began on July 8 near Les Pennes-Mirabeau about 13 km north of Marseille, caused significant disruption. Over 110 people, including at least nine firefighters, were injured due to smoke inhalation, and around 10 to 12 homes were damaged or destroyed. Approximately 400 residents were evacuated, and tens of thousands were confined indoors mostly on July 8 and early July 9.
The wildfire reached the outskirts of Marseille in the afternoon of Tuesday, causing a halt in the high-speed TGV connection with Paris, Lyon, and Aix-en-Provence. Public transportation was heavily affected, with train traffic halted in the surrounding areas and several roads, including sections of the A552 motorway, closed or congested due to the fire and emergency responses. Train services gradually resumed but still faced disruptions.
The wildfire, which has not been fully extinguished, resulted in the cancellation of flights from various airlines, including Ryanair, British Airways, Transavia France, Brussels Airlines, Volotea, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Aegean Cronus Airlines, Iberia, and Pegasus Airlines. Passengers with canceled flights were recommended not to come to the airport but to seek airline guidance on alternatives.
The airport announced that flight departures and arrivals would resume without restriction from 9.30 a.m. on July 9, but delays and cancellations continued. On Wednesday morning, 10 a.m., departing flights had an average delay of 35 minutes.
The French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau visited Marseille the same night due to the wildfire. The Prefect of the Bouches-du-Rhône department, Georges-François Leclerc, stated that the fire brigade would remain heavily mobilised to intervene rapidly when necessary. Locals were asked to stay inside their homes and traffic was heavily disrupted on Tuesday.
According to French media outlet France Bleu, at least 20 homes have been touched by the flames. Emergency and firefighting operations were still active, with around 700 to 1,000 firefighters, supported by aircraft, engaged in controlling the blaze.
Travellers with a cancelled flight booking are asked not to go to the airport and to contact their airline for the conditions that apply. The airport stated that on Wednesday, air traffic should be able to operate more or less as usual. Access to the Marseille Provence airport by public transport and by road from Marseille remains disrupted.
[1] Le Monde, "Marseille Provence Airport closes due to nearby wildfire, flights cancelled and diverted," July 8, 2025. [2] France 24, "Wildfire in southern France: At least 110 people injured, 10 homes destroyed," July 9, 2025. [3] AFP, "Marseille Provence Airport advises passengers not to come to the airport for cancelled flights," July 8, 2025. [4] RFI, "Train traffic disrupted in Marseille area due to wildfire," July 8, 2025.
- Passengers with canceled flights at Marseille Provence Airport, such as those from Ryanair, British Airways, Transavia France, and others, are advised not to come to the airport but to contact their airlines for alternative arrangements.
- As the wildfire, which started near Les Pennes-Mirabeau, reached the outskirts of Marseille, eco-friendly travelers might be interested to know that local news outlets reported about 20 homes being touched by the flames, causing thousands to be confined indoors.
- Over the general-news channels, it was noted that the wildfire's devastating impact extended beyond flight disruptions, reaching the high-speed TGV connections with Paris, Lyon, and Aix-en-Provence, as well as causing damage to around 10 to 12 homes and injuring over 110 people, mostly due to smoke inhalation. For travelers planning to book eco-flights to Marseille, it is essential to follow the ongoing weather updates and airline advice for travel safety.
