This was always going to happen… and it’s about time.
For years, Tenerife South Airport has had this quiet little territorial battle going on. In peak season you’d see long taxi queues outside Reina Sofía… tourists waiting in the heat… while taxis from neighbouring municipalities weren’t allowed to pick up.
It’s madness.
And yes, it damages the island’s image.
Now, finally, some common sense seems to be creeping in.
What’s actually changing?
Up until now, only Granadilla taxis could pick up passengers at the airport, they had full exclusivity.
Under a new protocol, expected to be ready before April, taxis from Arona, Adeje and San Miguel will also be allowed to collect passengers when demand exceeds Granadilla’s capacity.
So, thankfully, it’s not a free-for-all.
There will be coordinated, controlled shifts managed by the airport’s taxi rank supervisor. When arrivals surge and Granadilla can’t cope, the other municipalities will be allowed to step in.
Simple. Logical and slightly overdue.
Most visitors have no idea this has even been an issue.
But in high season, it’s been very real. Flights land in waves. Suddenly there are hundreds of people outside the terminal. And not enough taxis legally allowed to move them.
That’s not a great first impression for our visitors top have.
Tenerife lives off tourism. The airport is the front door. If the first experience is chaos and queues… we’re not starting well.
Interestingly, this solution has come from the taxi associations themselves. The Cabildo has said the system has been designed by the sector.
Funny how things move forward when the people that are actually involved sit down and sort it out.
What about the “Sensitive Area” declaration?
The Cabildo hasn’t ruled out declaring the airport a “Sensitive Area”.
That would give island-level control over transport management there. More regulation. More oversight. More paperwork.
And we all know how quickly paperwork moves here!!
This protocol is quicker. More practical. Less political.
If you live in the south, you know Arona and Adeje generate huge volumes of tourism. It makes perfect sense that their taxis can support during peak demand.
This isn’t about turf wars.
It’s about avoiding unnecessary queues and providing positive first impressions.
Of course, the real test will be August. Multiple flights landing within 20 minutes of each other. That’s when we’ll see if the coordination actually works.
But on paper, it’s a very positive step.
Small operational improvements can make a big difference to the overall experience. And that benefits everyone. Taxi drivers. Residents. Property owners. Businesses.
More practical solutions like this please… and fewer territorial standoffs.