The Lanzarote Business Confederation has expressed its "concern" in a press release regarding Aena's decision to impose a fee on discretionary buses at airports, which will initially be applied in Lanzarote and Tenerife Sur and will progressively extend to the rest of the Canary Islands by 2027.
For this reason, the president of the CEL, Beatriz Salazar, demands that Aena withdraw this measure, which she considers "entirely unfair, as it could generate an additional cost of up to 6,000 euros per month per company, particularly affecting SMEs and a highly seasonal sector." "We do not understand this measure, and that is why we join the unanimous rejection of companies in the sector and other business organizations in the Canary Islands," she emphasizes.
For Salazar, "it represents a direct blow to the tourism competitiveness and the tourism value chain in the Canary Islands, and specifically in Lanzarote, making daily operations more difficult for companies and affecting the passenger experience."
It also emphasizes that “the 60-minute grace period does not reflect the reality of bus operations, which must remain at airports for several hours due to flight delays, customs checks, and prior positioning”. “This measure, therefore, represents an unfair and disproportionate burden for local companies,” it adds.
The president concludes that "it is essential to find consensual solutions with the affected sectors, such as the creation of free waiting areas, and we reiterate our request to Aena: that it withdraw this fee and allow efficient, sustainable, and fair collective transport for Lanzarote and the rest of the islands' airports."