The Puente del Pilar starts with a reinforcement in air connectivityto. In these ‘little vacations’ a greater movement of tourists and residents is expected at the airports, so from yesterday to Sunday there are 5,752 flights scheduled that have as their destination or starting point Canary Islandsaccording to Aena.
The frenzy of takeoffs and landings will concentrate mainly on the Gran Canaria aerodrome, in which 1,743 flights are scheduled for these five days. It is the fifth with the highest traffic forecast in Spain, since it brings together 6% of the national total connections -30,156 flights.
The ‘peak’ day will be Saturday with 1,273 connections, followed by Sunday with 1,230 and yesterday with 1,093. In general, the number of operations scheduled on the Aena network this year exceeds 7.7% compared to the same long weekend in October 2022. The data cannot be compared because last year it lasted one day longer -six days- than the current one -five-, and that is what is striking. Although this year the Puente del Pilar lasts less, there are more air connections.
Regarding the same period in 2019, before the pandemicits duration was just three days -from Friday to Sunday-, so the number of operations planned this year is much higher. Specifically, 66% above the 18,150 flights scheduled then.
Binter reinforces its air offer with 55 extra interisland operations and 3,960 seats
This increase can be seen in inter-island flights. Binter has scheduled 55 extra flights and 3,960 seats additional ones with the aim of facilitating travel between the eight airports in the Canary Islands and responding to the increase in demand that occurs during these days.
The new operations have been scheduled for the routes of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, The Palm and The iron with Gran Canaria and Tenerifeas well as for connections between Gran Canaria and the two airports in Tenerife. In fact, the Tenerife South airport is the second with the most expected traffic with 1,044 flights, followed by Tenerife North with 977.
The Gomero aerodrome will be the only one with a stable schedule. It has eight flights per day, a total of 40. Meanwhile, in El Hierro there will be 88 with 16 daily on average.
A “very positive” start
The shipping companies –Guns and Fred. Olsen- they have also had to reinforce their schedules. The companies estimate that more than 200,000 people will move by boat during this bridge in more than 300 maritime trips between the Islands. Only on the connecting route port from San Sebastian La Gomera With the one in Los Cristianos, in Tenerife, 30,000 people will be displaced.
This increase in connections gives a clue as to what it is expected to be like. the fourth quarter of 2023 in terms of tourism. “Very positive,” ventured yesterday Tourism Minister, Jessica de León, who emphasized that the Canary Islands are “at the head” of Spain in the perspective of hotel occupancy in the winter season due to the strength of demand and the increase in air connectivity, as reported by the Ministry via statement.
He highlighted that the high season, which extends from November 2023 to March 2024will have a “good start” due to the “intense improvement” in air connectivity, since an increase of 32% is expected in relation to the pre-pandemic.
At the national level, fewer ‘vacation’ days, but 7.7% more takeoffs
He pointed out that despite all the socioeconomic conditions, the recovery in demand for travel to the Canary Islands continues to evolve at a “very positive pace, with the best summer in recent years.” And it is that Connections have grown by 3.7% compared to 2022 and 5.1% compared to 2019.
De León also indicated that the prospects for the winter season contemplate a “significant increase” in the number of tourists because the airlines have scheduled 9.5 million seats, which represents 6.6% more than last winter and translates into 593,000 more passengers.
The department’s forecasts for the end of the year are optimistic, with a record turnover of 19.4 million euros.
