Technical Failures at Spanish Airports Trigger Massive Passport Control Delays

Spanish airports, particularly Tenerife South, are facing intense international scrutiny after reports identified them as having some of the longest passport control delays in Europe. Recent analyses by the Daily Mail, the consumer group Which?, and Ryanair have placed Tenerife South and Lanzarote at the top of the list for wait times. This issue is also affecting other major hubs, including Madrid, Alicante, Malaga, Berlin, and Paris-Beauvais.

The delays are largely due to the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES). Designed to digitize border security by collecting biometric data—such as fingerprints and facial images—from non-EU citizens, the system became mandatory on April 10 following a rollout that began in October 2025.

However, the technology has caused significant bottlenecks. At Tenerife South, the infrastructure is struggling; since November, 85% of the 36 installed machines have suffered from connectivity or system errors, leaving only five devices in regular operation.

As a result, passport control wait times have tripled at several European airports. This has alarmed the Canarian business community, which fears the reputational damage to the island’s tourism industry. Javier Cabrera, president of the Circle of Businessmen of the South of Tenerife (CEST), described the situation as a sign of neglect, warning that poor first impressions could harm the island's long-term competitiveness.

The debate now centers on the gap between EU policy and the reality on the ground. While the EES is intended to improve security, unreliable equipment has turned a modernization effort into a logistical hurdle. With Tenerife South identified by Ryanair as one of 16 major problem areas, there is an urgent need for technical upgrades to resolve these hardware issues and improve the traveler experience.