The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has acknowledged the presence of “occasional bottlenecks” at passport control at Tenerife South Airport. He described these delays as "sporadic" and attributed them primarily to irregularities in flight schedules, such as delays or early arrivals.
The minister assured the public that efforts are underway, in collaboration with the airport operator AENA, to address the "concentration of flights" that contributes to the issue.
During a parliamentary session in the Spanish Congress, Cristina Valido, a deputy from the Canary Coalition party, raised concerns about the "interminable queues" faced by travellers at Tenerife South Airport. Valido argued that the situation stems largely from the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, which necessitates stricter border controls.
Marlaska conceded that Brexit has indeed introduced "more exhaustive border checks," but he emphasized that the clustering of flights by airlines is a more relevant factor. This scheduling, he explained, causes disruptions when several flights arrive in close succession, overwhelming passport control services.
In response to these challenges, the Minister highlighted steps taken by his department to mitigate the problem. "We have increased the number of police officers assigned to Tenerife South Airport by 18%," Marlaska stated.
He also told of an ongoing collaboration with AENA and the airlines to address operational inefficiencies. The goal, he said, is to minimise the isolated incidents of disruption that travellers have reported, ensuring smoother experiences for passengers in the future.
This acknowledgement comes as the airport grapples with the dual challenges of post-Brexit regulatory changes and fluctuating flight schedules, which have tested the capacity of its border control systems. Efforts to streamline operations are expected to continue as authorities work towards a long-term solution.
