Tourist transport companies warn of delays of up to 30 minutes in picking up passengers at Lanzarote airport, while Tenerife South has recorded blockages of half an hour. The Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs (FET) is calling for the removal of the payment barriers imposed by Aena since July 1.
Since July 1, access to the passenger pick-up areas at Lanzarote and Tenerife South airports has been equipped with payment barriers that have caused a cascade of logistical problems. Tour operators have had to modify their usual operations: now travellers wait in groups for the bus to arrive, which lengthens waiting times and generates discomfort among tourists.
In Lanzarote, the airport infrastructure is very limited and lacks a free area where buses can park while waiting for the guide's call. Due to this shortcoming, vehicles are forced to remain in industrial estates or their own facilities, from where it takes between 20 and 30 minutes to reach the airport.
Delays that will worsen in winter
The Secretary General of the FET, José Ángel Hernández, warns that the situation will worsen with the arrival of the high tourist season in winter. “In Lanzarote, there is no free area and the airport has very limited infrastructure,” he points out. The current wait, which is already around half an hour, could double if the flow of travellers increases.
In Tenerife South, although Aena has enabled a free area with 30 spaces outside the manoeuvring area, the total capacity of the bus parking is 90 vehicles. Hernández describes this situation as a “discrepancy” that generates congestion. In fact, last Saturday there was a blockage of more than 30 minutes on the internal roads of the Tenerife airport.
A problem that extends to other airports
The FET reports that the barrier system with fees is not implemented in all Spanish airports, but only in some with high tourist traffic. According to Hernández, Aena plans to extend it to Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura between late 2026 and 2027, which would worsen the situation in the archipelago.
“Before the new barriers, these problems did not exist in the airports of the Canary Islands,” emphasises the Secretary General of the FET. Companies in the sector lament that Aena has not made any improvements to the infrastructure or remodelled spaces to compensate for the new fee.
Claims and requests to the administrations
The FET has already met with Aena, the Government of the Canary Islands, and some councils to seek solutions. “The first thing we ask for is the removal of this barrier system with fees,” says Hernández. Companies believe that the measure is a unilateral decision from Madrid to “monetise all spaces belonging to Aena.”
The level of complaints is not yet high, but frequent passengers have already expressed their surprise at having to wait between 30 and 60 minutes to be picked up. “Our quality level was of the highest excellence, and for a person to arrive after a flight of three, four, or five hours and have to wait so long is not within their expectations,” concludes Hernández.
For tourists travelling to Lanzarote or Tenerife South, it is recommended to contact the bus company in advance to know the estimated waiting times. In the meantime, the FET will continue to push for the removal of the barriers or the establishment of sufficient free waiting areas.
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