The Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo de Tenerife are seeking a formula with the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda to “commit” the public company AENA to begin the remodeling and modernization works of the Tenerife South airport terminal before 2026, after the drafting of the project has been included in the Airport Regulation Document (DORA) for the period 2022-2026 approved by the central government.
This was indicated yesterday in Parliament by the regional councilor for Public Works, Sebastián Franquis, who explained that the Government of the Canary Islands is negotiating with the Ministry so that the approved item of 3.4 million to contract the drafting of the remodeling project of the current terminal increase “and not only contract the drafting of the project, but also the execution of the works can begin before 2026, which is when this investment plan expires.”
Franquis announced that the Secretary of State for Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Isabel Pardo de Vera, will travel to Tenerife on Monday to hold a meeting with representatives of the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo of Tenerife. “We want to conclude an agreement that guarantees this investment to continue advancing in the modernization of one of the most important airports in Spain,” he said.
In the parliamentary session, the deputy Ricardo Fernández de la Puente, from Ciudadanos, denounced that Tenerife Sur is the third most profitable airport in Spain and, however, it is “ugly and decadent” and asked that investment be improved in the coming years and that the old terminal stops being “patched”.
In statements made to this newspaper last Sunday, the director of AENA in the Canary Islands, Mario Otero, underlined the “firm commitment” of the national entity to undertake the Tenerife South project from 2026. “Why not before? Because the pandemic has caused air traffic figures to fall and its recovery is expected for the final stretch of the period that includes DORA II (2022-2026) ”, said Otero.
As this newspaper announced, the airport will open two new buildings in the first quarter of next year that will increase its current surface by more than 50% and will double the operational check-in and boarding area. The works will increase the number of check-in counters (from 87 to 119), security controls (from 16 to 18), boarding gates (from 16 to 26) and walkways (from 8 to 10).
