Lanzarote airport struggles with delays and taxi shortages
Lanzarote Airport has been named the second least punctual airport in Spain so far this year, according to a new report by AirHelp. The study, which reviewed airport performance across the country from January to June 2025, found that only 74.5% of flights departing from Lanzarote were on time.
With around 1.7 million passengers and 12,500 flights handled during that period, more than 3,170 flights were delayed, affecting an estimated 434,000 passengers.
The only Spanish airport to perform worse was Palma de Mallorca, with a punctuality rate of 73.4%.
But the frustration for travellers doesn’t end on the tarmac. Once on the ground, many passengers face yet another hurdle: getting out of the airport.
A now-viral video posted on social media this week once again highlighted the long-standing problem of insufficient taxis at César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport. The footage shows hundreds of exhausted tourists queueing outside the arrivals terminal late at night, dragging their luggage and waiting more than half an hour for available taxis to reach their hotels and holiday rentals.
What was once considered a seasonal inconvenience has now become a regular and predictable issue, particularly during the peak summer months of July and August. Each year, complaints resurface about long waits, a lack of available transport, and poor coordination of services.
Despite repeated criticism from tourists, residents, and hospitality professionals, little has changed in recent years. Many in the sector argue that better planning, improved coordination, and an increase in authorised taxis are urgently needed to handle the island’s growing visitor numbers.
Lanzarote closed 2024 with record-breaking international arrivals, and this summer is expected to be even busier. Yet for many tourists, the first impression upon landing is an airport struggling with delays, followed by a tiring wait for a ride.
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