Following the public call from Ashotel, the association representing hotel and non-hotel employers, for the Cabildo to demonstrate “courage” by designating Tenerife South airport as a sensitive zone to alleviate the extensive queues for taxis, the island’s authority released a statement affirming that “progress” is indeed being made towards this goal.
In her communication, Eulalia García, the insular Minister of Mobility, emphasised that the aim of the governing coalition (CC-PP) is to enable taxis from neighbouring municipalities to operate at the airport “during periods of high demand or exceptional circumstances,” thereby augmenting the service provided by the taxis from Granadilla de Abona and San Miguel de Abona, and “ensuring an efficient service while preventing conflicts.”
The minister noted that the proposal faced “some opposition” from both the Granadilla de Abona City Council and the local taxi association. She highlighted that her department had commissioned a “comprehensive” study on airport mobility to pinpoint tourist influx peaks and the precise transportation requirements, which will serve as an “important initial step” towards working on the designation of the South airport as a sensitive area.
Last Wednesday, Jorge Marichal, president of Ashotel, reiterated that “despite the good intentions of all parties, this cannot be resolved” and reminded that in April 2013, the Cabildo’s plenary session approved an agreement to declare a sensitive area at the airport, which remains unfulfilled. Hence, he urged them to reach an agreement promptly and provide a definitive resolution “without compromising anyone’s rights.” Hotel industry stakeholders such as José Fernando Cabrera also expressed their concerns in this publication last week, calling for solutions to the extensive queues faced by tourists and locals awaiting taxis, labelling the situation as “unacceptable.”
The same term was used by the Mobility Minister of the Cabildo yesterday to describe another issue that has provoked widespread criticism in recent months: the delays at customs controls for non-EU visitors at the southern airport. “It is crucial to enhance human and technical resources. We cannot permit border checks to continue being a source of complaint and frustration,” stated Eulalia García. Furthermore, Ashotel pointed out that the “inadequate” number of officers and technological resources leads to passengers enduring lengthy waits that, at peak times, encroach upon the taxiing area.
