“The endeavour to enhance Tenerife South-Reina Sofía Airport is unprecedented and has been a topic of dialogue at various intervals,” remarked the vice president of the Cabildo, Lope Afonso. However, it is no longer a pressing concern. Business and political figures who’ve been consulted and are prepared to express their views concur that while it is indeed a need, it does not rank as the foremost priority for a facility that is over 46 years old and is projected to handle 13.7 million passengers by the close of 2024, as per information released by Spanish Airports (Aena). The initial request for this expansion from the Island dates back to 1988, a decade post its inauguration on 23rd October 1978.
Although it is evident that the facility “has long surpassed its optimal operational capability,” as evidenced by the airlines’ schedules associated with Tenerife South, which “clearly points to the necessity for a second runway,” the preferred course of action is a new terminal that caters to the comfort, safety, and stability of passengers, the volume of flights, the business activity it handles, and that ensures efficient operations.
Background
The nearest approach to establishing a second runway at Granadilla airport occurred in 2002 when Alvarez Helmets, then Minister of Development in a government led by José María Aznar, endorsed the Master Plan which included provisions for a second runway, aimed to become operational in 2014, as stated by Magdalena Alvarez, the then minister overseeing the department, in 2006 during a central government under José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. By 2008, the Ministry of Public Works allocated 198 million euros within the Canary Islands Plan to construct a parallel runway measuring 3,500 meters to the north of the current one. The construction was slated to commence in 2014, with the runway set to be operational by 2016. José Manuel Bermúdez, who served as the vice president of the Cabildo and island councillor for Tourism, advocated for the creation of the new terminal “immediately” in 2009. Following this, the demand has escalated, overshadowing the urgency for a second runway at Tenerife South Airport.
Incidents
The blockage of the current runway noted on the 2nd due to a malfunction in an aircraft’s landing gear resulted in the airfield being non-operational for an hour and a half. A similar incident occurred on August 27, 2022, when another aircraft (from Ryanair) was stuck on the runway due to the excessive heat generated by its brakes. On June 27, 2017, a Jet2 flight suffered a tyre blowout during landing. Likewise, on November 24, 2015, a Norwegian aircraft encountered a similar issue, causing the runway to close for four hours. In all instances, flights had to be redirected to other airports across the Canary Islands, not solely to Tenerife North-City of La Laguna, in Los Rodeos.
Jaime González Cejas, who was the mayor of Granadilla de Abona (1991-2007 and 2011-2016), defended this initiative as vital, citing safety for a premier destination and aimed at transforming Tenerife South into the principal airport in the Canary Islands. This perspective has been unanimously endorsed for decades by local municipalities and economic stakeholders on the Island, alongside the majority of social groups.
“It would be catastrophic if the South runway were to close simultaneously with a closure due to adverse weather at Tenerife North.”
Jose Fernando Cabrera
— President of the Friends of the South of Tenerife Forum (FAST)
“This is strictly a strategic issue,” the businessman said in 2014. José Fernando Cabrera, president of the Friends of the South of Tenerife Forum (FAST), currently asserts: “The significance of the second runway is that, in the event of an incident, Tenerife would essentially become isolated as Los Rodeos would struggle to handle the traffic from Reina Sofía, and if it coincided with bad weather at Tenerife North, it would indeed be a disaster. However, Cabrera believes “the establishment of a new terminal” is “the most pressing matter”, although “consideration for the second runway is also necessary.”
The Grand Terminal
Concluding the timely execution of the technical assessments for the approval and establishment of this new terminal is an essential requirement, stated Lope Afonso, who urged to “ensure Aena genuinely considers making Tenerife South a key airport.” In this regards, he also insisted on the completion of “crucial components such as the second runway, to prevent situations of stress and danger,” since, as a tourist destination, it “opens up opportunities for different types of flights and services” that are currently unattainable.
“While the second runway at Tenerife South Airport may be necessary, other priorities within the facility such as upgrading the existing terminal, parking areas, passenger mobility, and the surrounding access must also be addressed. It is a desirable initiative, yet not the foremost priority.” This was clearly articulated by Arturo González, mayor of San Miguel de Abona.
Conversely, Luis Javier González, his counterpart in Fasnia, contended that “this has been a necessity for years, possibly decades.” He opined that “to ensure a positive experience for visitors so that they return, we require quality infrastructure, and the need for a second runway at Tenerife South Airport is undeniable.”
José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, mayor of Adeje, believes that such a project must entail “substantial investment” needed for “the entire airport infrastructure, the services offered, and the attention to passengers including security protocols. The aim is to enhance the aspects required for a modern and efficient airport that meets the expectations of the tourist destination and the requirements of the residents of Tenerife.”
“Aena must urgently accept responsibility in finding solutions and begin to reciprocate what Tenerife contributes in terms of remarkable economic advantages.”
Javier Cabrera
— President of the Circle of Entrepreneurs and Professionals of the South of Tenerife
The Circle of Entrepreneurs and Professionals of the South of Tenerife (CEST) has been advocating for a second runway at Reina Sofía for 20 years. The incident reported on the 2nd caused chaos at the South airport, a facility suffering due to “questionable management, which has led to thousands of customers experiencing long queues within the terminal, insufficient services, a lack of basic seating, and exorbitant prices in cafes and car parks. Aena must urgently take accountability in resolving these issues and start to give back to Tenerife what it offers in terms of remarkable economic benefits,” conveyed Javier Cabrera, president of CEST.
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