Tenerife North Airport experienced operational issues yesterday (Sunday), leading to delays and disruptions to several flights. The incidents affected both arrivals and departures, causing inconvenience for travellers and creating a backlog of air traffic.
Near Miss on Approach
Among the most notable events was a Vueling flight arriving from Barcelona, which had to abort its approach just 1.5 kilometres from the runway.
The aircraft executed a holding pattern over La Laguna’s coastline and the slopes of Tacoronte before safely landing on a second attempt.
Following its arrival, other aircraft began landing, including a Binter flight from Gran Canaria. Meanwhile, several planes queued at the runway for take-off, including a private jet from NetJets Europe heading to Alicante, an ITA Airways Airbus bound for Rome, and an Air Europa Boeing departing for Bilbao. All of these flights faced minor delays.
Airborne Holding Patterns
The disruption also affected other flights, including a CanaryFly flight from Gran Canaria and a Binter flight from Zaragoza, which were forced into holding patterns over Anaga until clearance to land was granted.
Despite the delays, some operations proceeded smoothly, including the departure of a private jet to Southampton, a Binter flight to El Hierro, and a Vueling Airbus heading to Santiago de Compostela. The Vueling flight from Barcelona also took off again after its earlier arrival.
The exact reasons behind the operational disruptions remain unclear, as no official statement has been released. However, the accumulated movements created noticeable delays, impacting the airport’s scheduled itinerary and frustrating many passengers.
Tenerife North Airport, known for its challenging conditions due to weather and mountainous surroundings, has a history of requiring precise operational management.
