The General Director of Transport, María Fernández, has succeeded in halting Aena's implementation of bus parking charges at the airports of the archipelago and has opened a negotiation process with administrations and the sector.
The Canary Government has reached an agreement with Aena to suspend the new paid parking system for buses at the airports of the archipelago. The measure, which was set to come into effect this year, is now on hold following a meeting held at Tenerife South Airport. The charges will not apply during 2026, as confirmed by Aena, which has also apologised for the way it managed the implementation.
A united front of administrations and the sector
Participants in the meeting included the General Director of Transport, María Fernández; the Transport Councillor of the Tenerife Cabildo, Eulalia García; the Transport Councillor of the Lanzarote Cabildo, Miguel Ángel Jiménez; and representatives from the Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs (FET). They all agreed that the system, designed uniformly for the entire territory, did not take into account the island's reality.
Aena has acknowledged that the measure was unilateral and without consensus, as denounced by the cabildos. During 2026, the barriers will remain operational only to collect data that will allow for the evaluation of the system's functioning. From 2027, the agreed measures will be implemented.
Monitoring committee to adapt the system
The parties have agreed to create a monitoring committee that will meet in October, November, and December of 2026. It will include Aena, the General Directorate of Transport, the seven island cabildos, and the transport sector. The aim is to analyse the data obtained and define the necessary adjustments before the final implementation.
María Fernández valued the outcome:
“The important thing is that a space for dialogue has been opened to analyse, with objective data, what the best solution is for organising the functioning of the airports without harming public transport or mobility in the Canary Islands.”
Additionally, Aena has committed to improving the waiting area for buses with shaded areas and restrooms, enhancing the working conditions for drivers.
Reactions from the cabildos
The councillor from Tenerife, Eulalia García, emphasised that the Cabildo had expressed disagreement from the very beginning.
“We have made a firm commitment to public transport as a key tool for improving mobility on the island, and we cannot allow decisions like this to represent a step backwards.”
Meanwhile, the councillor from Lanzarote, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, thanked Aena for its receptiveness and highlighted that the measure was causing operational problems affecting companies and mobility in the airport environment.
The president of the FET, José Agustín Espino, noted that the agreement will allow for improvements in the organisation of airport operations in the coming months.
For Canary readers, this suspension is a relief: regular and discretionary buses will continue to access the airports at no additional cost throughout 2026. Drivers, who reported long waits without shade or services, will see their conditions improved. The next step will be the monitoring committee, where the final model for 2027 will be decided.
What happens if I take a bus to the airport? You will not pay anything for parking during 2026. The barriers will only collect data. And afterwards? From 2027, a consensual system will be applied, yet to be defined.
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