Tourists Advised to Arrive Three Hours Early at Tenerife South Airport
Brits holidaying in Tenerife this summer have been warned to "expect queues" and to "arrive early," particularly when flying home from the island's South Airport. Andrew Knight, a UK expat who runs Buddies Bar Los Cristianos, shared advice in a video aimed at those nearing the end of their holiday.
"Are you flying from Tenerife South Airport this summer?" he began. "They recommend you arrive three hours early if you are flying outside the Schengen Area - so that applies if you are going to the UK."
Delays Caused by the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)
Andrew explained that the delays are largely due to the newly-implemented EES, a digital border system for non-EU travellers, including UK citizens, visiting the Schengen Area. The EES replaces manual passport stamps with biometric tracking, requiring first-time registrants to provide fingerprints and a photo at the border.
He added: "As a reminder though, if you are one of the early morning flights, don't get here too early then because airport access is restricted when there are no [immediate] flights."
Expect Queues but Recent Experiences Vary
Andrew told travellers to "expect some queues" but noted things had "all been pretty smooth" recently. However, he cautioned: "There's been a few unlucky people who have had to wait a couple of hours where the [EES] system has gone wrong, so you never know... just be prepared for it."
He also advised: "Go to the toilet on the plane, have a bottle of water and have some entertainment ready for the kids just in case the system is not playing ball and there are some queues."
Money-Saving Travel Tips
As a money-saving tip, Andrew suggested holidaymakers catch the number 40 express bus from the airport to locations such as Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas, and Costa Adeje for around €3.50 (£3.02). "It's a bargain and it runs every 30 minutes," he said. "And it will save you a big chunk on taxis."
He also warned travellers to check their gate after visiting duty-free: "You will see the screens, which tell you which area your flight is going from in terms of gates. Whether it is A, B or C, make sure you are there in plenty of time."
Mixed Reactions from Recent Visitors
One recent visitor commented: "Flew home today, 6pm flight. Airport was so smooth, Jet2 staff were amazing sorting baggage, few bottles in duty-free, had a meal in Giraffe, it was fab." Another said: "Flew out 6pm last night, was through in no time, the airport was a doddle. I did, however, have to sit in the VIP lounge for 2 hours drinking Cava and a mini buffet, so I was ok."
However, a third person reported: "It took us 2 hours to get through because of the sheer amount of people going through and the lack of assistance."
