Long queues for passport checks and taxis at Tenerife South Airport have sparked complaints, with the hotel employers’ association, Ashotel, calling for immediate action to address the shortage of police officers at the arrivals terminal. Ashotel has requested an urgent meeting with Anselmo Pestana, the Government delegate in the Canary Islands, and the National Police Force to address the issue.
Currently, only two police officers are assigned to passport control, leaving six checkpoints closed and leading to hours-long queues, particularly affecting British tourists at the height of the tourist season.
Ashotel highlights that it raised this issue a year ago, but despite meetings with AENA and the Playa de Las Américas police station, no lasting solution has been implemented. The situation worsened last Thursday with the arrival of several business delegations from London following the World Travel Market, exposing the inadequate staffing levels at the airport. Of the four double booths available, only two were staffed, leading to wait times of over an hour as UK flights arrived.
The problem is exacerbated by over 30 biometric passport scanners installed in halls A and B, none of which are operational. Ashotel reported that additional machines are in storage, but there is no timeline for their installation or activation.
Further frustration arises from long taxi queues, with Ashotel criticising the current taxi licensing rules. Despite numerous meetings with the Tenerife Cabildo, Ashotel’s proposal to declare the airport a strategic site and allow equal access for all regional taxis has been stalled. Currently, taxis from municipalities with airports have priority, creating delays for passengers needing transportation from the terminal.
