Aena's New Canary Airport Transport Fees Spark Opposition

Airport operator Aena announced last Thursday its plans to change how private transport companies (like coach and bus services) park and wait at Canary Islands airports. These changes will begin in January 2026. The new system will first be introduced at Tenerife South and Lanzarote airports, then gradually extended to Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria by 2027.

Aena says these changes are needed because the number of private transport vehicles at Canary Islands airports has grown significantly in recent years, while the available space at the airports remains limited.

From January 15, a new control system will be put in place, featuring access barriers and a payment system before vehicles can exit. This new model will allow a 60-minute grace period for picking up passengers. If this time is exceeded, companies will be charged at the standard parking rate, which is currently around 0.08 euros per minute.

The Government of the Canary Islands has already opposed this plan, stating it "will try to prevent it from happening." In line with this, the Federation of Transport Companies of the Canary Islands (FET) issued a statement yesterday, strongly rejecting the measure. They believe it will cause "direct harm" to their sector and, indirectly, "to the Archipelago's tourism industry."

The FET says this fee "could generate an additional cost of up to 6,000 euros per month for each transport company." Their main arguments against the plan include the claim that there are "no space problems" to justify such a measure, and that the 60-minute grace period doesn't match how long actual operations take.

Companies explain that due to contractual requirements, vehicles must be positioned in advance. They also have to account for frequent delays in charter flights and additional delays at customs controls, especially for passengers from outside the European Union after Brexit. All of this means the average time spent at the airport is about three hours. With this new fee, they warn, it "will generate logistical and operational problems for companies."

The FET also added that, unlike other airports in the Aena network, Canary Islands airports do not have free, regulated waiting areas where vehicles can wait before accessing the terminal. This, they argue, complicates the operational management of tourist flows. The hotel employers' association Ashotel echoed these concerns, criticizing the lack of parking alternatives and warning that the increase in costs will ultimately affect tourists.

The Circle of Businesspeople and Professionals of Southern Tenerife (CEST) also joined the opposition, warning of the potential impact on the region's tourism competitiveness. Its president, Javier Cabrera, pointed out that the additional cost will affect a "highly seasonal" sector and questioned whether the initiative is based on technical criteria.

Transport companies that regularly operate at the southern airport have also expressed their deep discomfort. One of the companies with the largest volume of services in this area indicates that they "do not oppose the new management," but warns that, without a waiting area near the Granadilla de Abona terminal, daily activity "will become impracticable."

According to several of these companies, "the possibility of extending the free period to one and a half hours was raised," although they recall that the actual time needed to handle the arrival of a flight "is between two and two and a half hours."

One of the main concerns of local companies is the impact the new logistics could have on mobility. According to the sector, forcing vehicles to wait outside the airport premises could create additional problems, given the concentration, during peak hours, of "dozens or even hundreds of buses on the TF-1" motorway.