Tenerife Weekly
  • Home
  • About
  • El Diario
  • Diario de Avisos
  • El Dia
  • Europa Press
  • La Laguna
  • El Digital Sur
  • Atlantico
  • Press Releases
  • Essentials
  • Blog
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • El Diario
  • Diario de Avisos
  • El Dia
  • Europa Press
  • La Laguna
  • El Digital Sur
  • Atlantico
  • Press Releases
  • Essentials
  • Blog
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Tenerife Weekly
No Result
View All Result
Home El Dia

The new terminal at Reina Sofía airport

January 10, 2024
in El Dia
Reading Time: 5 mins read
1
The new terminal at Reina Sofía airport
168
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter



The new terminal at Reina Sofía airport

Air transport in Spain began in 1919.. By then Tourists had been coming to the city for 50 years. TenerifeYes, by boat. The current Tenerife South airport terminal was inaugurated in 1978, after the unfortunate jumbo jet accident in 1977. Its architecture responds to the military character of the general direction of the time. In 1991 AENA was created, replacing the Autonomous Body of National Airports. In these 45 years, air traffic has grown considerably, with Reina Sofía being one of the most important and profitable airports in the Spanish network.

In recent years, new terminals have been built throughout Spain, even in Lion, with very few flights, and on all the Islands, except Tenerife South. Of these terminals, the most important have been designed by great architects: Lamela y Rogers, Madrid; Bofill, Barcelona and Seville; Calatrava, Bilbao; Fairbank, Valencia; Bonet, Palma.

At an international level, and in all major tourist destinations, the same thing has happened. All architects are recognized: Zaha Hadid Architects (Patrik Schumacher), Beijing (China); Studio Fuksas, Guangdong (China); Fentress Architects, Denver (United States); Safdie Architects, Boston (United States); Norman Foster, Mexico City; Kasian Architecture (Don Kasian), Richmond (Canada); Architects Charles Murphy and Helmunt Jahn, Munich (Germany).

And meanwhile, At the Reina Sofía only small improvements and expansions have been made, making it a big problem and a brake on the economic, social and tourist development of the Island. Its discomfort is one of the complaints of tourists who visit us. Many days there is nowhere to sit. Added to this are the problems of long waits at passport control and queues, sometimes lasting more than an hour, to take a taxi.

10 years ago we started a social movement in Tenerife in order to pressure AENA to build a new terminal, which, as we have mentioned, it has done throughout the Peninsula and on all the Islands. Even AENA has expanded in recent years to Brazil and other countries, partly financing these multimillion-dollar investments with the profits of the Reina Sofía.

AENA then began to justify itself with unreasonable statements, such as that it had invested some amounts, that it had done some works and improvements… But the terminal remained almost as uncomfortable and saturated. The media pressure continued and policy, and then the then regional director announced the expansion of the terminal by 5,000 square meters, joining the old one with a disused building, built years ago. Building that is a kind of industrial warehouse without any grace. It is true that it relieves stress, but it creates another big problem, which is its location in a corner, which means that in boarding and disembarking operations enormous distances have to be traveled, without conveyor belts for people.

It is something provisional and, as we say here, to escape. Tenerife’s aspiration is a large terminal at the South airport, like those that have been built in the Spanish capitals and like those that are being built in the most important tourist destinations in the world. Not only should it be comfortable and practical, but it should be an image of a wonderful Island, represented by light, vegetation and water.

Since civil society is not satisfied with the situation, and thanks to the work of the presidents of the Cabildo Carlos Alonso and Pedro Martinand the deputy Hector Gomez, AENA begins to recognize that it is necessary to build a new terminal at the Reina Sofía. The then Minister of Development, José Luis Ávalos, on a visit to the Island, promised that it would be included in the 2022-2026 Multiannual Investment Plan (DORA). When the Council of Ministers approved this plan, the great disappointment came. Large investments appeared in Madrid, Barcelona and Palma, but not in Tenerife. And that in Barcelona they reject it. The battle continued, and on the occasion of the provisional expansion of the terminal, on May 25 of last year, the Minister of Transport, Raquel Sánchez, and the president of AENA, Maurici Lucena, announced the holding of a project competition for a new terminal at the Reina Sofía. The regional director then pointed out that quality would prevail in the competition so that the new terminal would not only be functional, but would also reflect the image of the Island.

Last summer the competition was called and, yet another surprise, the amount of the project fees took precedence over quality. The price scores 100 out of 200, and the quality 50. It contravenes the provisions of the Public Sector Contracting Law, which indicates that quality must score 51%, and the rulings of the Administrative Court of Public Contracts, in the same sense. The situation is that of the five proposals presented, two of them went to the last phase, and the cheapest was inevitably awarded.

In addition to the Contracting Law, AENA has ignored the Statute of Autonomy, which indicates that autonomy must be consulted, and we add to the Tenerife Council, representative of the Island, when approving the specifications and awarding the tender. And all this with reductions in fees of 40%, we logically imagine at the expense of the quality of the design.

Surely if the project has passed the technical filters established by AENA, will allow the construction of a practical, safe and comfortable terminal, which as we are is a great advance. But we fear that it will not live up to the image of the Island, nor will it foreseeably be at the level of those that have been built on the Peninsula, nor those that have been built in the main competing international tourist destinations. Now the challenge that remains is, in addition to analyzing and improving the project if possible, for AENA to present it in Tenerife before the works are put out to tender. Also, try to get it included in the current DORA 2022-2026, and even more so now that in Catalonia there is great opposition to the planned 1.7 billion euro expansion of the Prat.



Source link

Related Posts

PSOE TENERIFE | PSOE proposes declaring an emergency due to ineffectiveness in the Cabildo of Tenerife and opposes the forestry penny.
El Dia

PSOE TENERIFE | PSOE proposes declaring an emergency due to ineffectiveness in the Cabildo of Tenerife and opposes the forestry penny.

July 17, 2025
Endured 12 Hours of Assaults and Feared Her Ex-Boyfriend Would Kill Her
El Dia

Endured 12 Hours of Assaults and Feared Her Ex-Boyfriend Would Kill Her

July 17, 2025
TLP Events 2025 | TLP Tenerife 2025 revs up with a motorbike route
El Dia

TLP Events 2025 | TLP Tenerife 2025 revs up with a motorbike route

July 16, 2025

Comments 1

  1. Lawrie C Husto says:
    2 years ago

    As someone who has travelled Europe extensively, l must say Tenerife Reina Sofia is certainly not fit for purpose.
    My wife and l are now both retired and find the length of the terminal coupled with the lack of motorised walkways and adequate seating to be a major challenge.
    Having just returned from the island before New Year there is a marked increase in the number of tourists year on year since the pandemic and an urgent upgrade to Reina Sofia should be a priority.
    Regards
    Lawrie C. Husto.

No Result
View All Result

Click Image to Join Community

Tenerife Forum Community

Previous News

More than 112 earthquakes detected in Tenerife in the last 24 hours

More than 112 earthquakes detected in Tenerife in the last 24 hours

2 years ago
Extinguished an outbreak of fire in Las Hayas

Extinguished an outbreak of fire in Las Hayas

3 years ago
Arrested the number 2 of the PSOE of Santa Cruz de Tenerife for an attack on a football field

Arrested the number 2 of the PSOE of Santa Cruz de Tenerife for an attack on a football field

2 years ago
The top works set to transform El Rosario

The top works set to transform El Rosario

1 year ago
CC calls the Canarian government’s management of European funds “irresponsible” and calls for “more self-criticism”

CC calls the Canarian government’s management of European funds “irresponsible” and calls for “more self-criticism”

2 years ago
Are these tenths yours?  They lose 26 numbers of the Christmas Lottery in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Are these tenths yours? They lose 26 numbers of the Christmas Lottery in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

3 years ago
No Result
View All Result

News Highlights

PSOE TENERIFE | PSOE proposes declaring an emergency due to ineffectiveness in the Cabildo of Tenerife and opposes the forestry penny.

Highest alert due to wildfire risk in Gran Canaria and La Gomera

The PSOE mocks declaring “emergency due to ineptitude” over the lack of management in the Tenerife Cabildo.

The Guía de Isora Council Wobbles After a PP Councillor Who Claims Workplace Harassment Joins the Non-Affiliated.

Holiday homes invade Anaga: the hamlets belonging to Santa Cruz de Tenerife approach 400 beds

Tariffs: ‘We Guarantee the Future of Water in Santa Cruz for the Next 50 Years’

Trending News

Over 500 residents of Laguna enjoy summer activities organised by Citizen Participation
La Laguna

Over 500 residents of Laguna enjoy summer activities organised by Citizen Participation

by Admin
July 17, 2025
0

The municipal initiative, taking place in Punta del Hidalgo and Bajamar, promotes active ageing, outdoor exercise, and...

Tenerife Cook Music Fest Kicks Off with a Star-Studded Line-Up and Forecasted Attendance of Over 60,000

Tenerife Cook Music Fest Kicks Off with a Star-Studded Line-Up and Forecasted Attendance of Over 60,000

July 17, 2025
Fire in Tenerife: A Vast Column of Smoke Visible from Miles Away

Fire in Tenerife: A Vast Column of Smoke Visible from Miles Away

July 17, 2025
PSOE TENERIFE | PSOE proposes declaring an emergency due to ineffectiveness in the Cabildo of Tenerife and opposes the forestry penny.

PSOE TENERIFE | PSOE proposes declaring an emergency due to ineffectiveness in the Cabildo of Tenerife and opposes the forestry penny.

July 17, 2025
Highest alert due to wildfire risk in Gran Canaria and La Gomera

Highest alert due to wildfire risk in Gran Canaria and La Gomera

July 17, 2025
Tenerife Weekly

© 2025 Tenerife Weekly

Navigate Site

  • Tenerife Forum
  • Tenerife Travel Shop
  • Ask Tenerife
  • Guide
  • Adobe
  • Linkedin
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • El Diario
  • Diario de Avisos
  • El Dia
  • Europa Press
  • La Laguna
  • El Digital Sur
  • Atlantico
  • Press Releases
  • Essentials
  • Blog
  • Contact

© 2025 Tenerife Weekly