Emergency meeting called after over 500 holidaymakers endure ‘third world’ conditions with only two passport booths open for hours
British families were forced to lift their children onto their shoulders to prevent them from suffocating in dangerously overcrowded passport control queues at Tenerife South Airport, as “inhumane conditions” left hundreds of holidaymakers trapped for over two hours in sweltering heat.
The shocking scenes, which witnesses compared to “cattle” being herded together, prompted Spanish authorities to call an emergency meeting as the tourism crisis threatens to damage the Canary Islands’ reputation as a premier holiday destination.
Children at Risk in Crush
In harrowing eyewitness accounts, parents described desperately hoisting young children above the crushing crowds after more than 500 British tourists became trapped in passport control when several UK flights arrived simultaneously.
“Families with babies and elderly passengers had to carry their children and luggage through a packed terminal. Once inside, we couldn’t move our arms, we could barely breathe, and people were sweating,” said Lourdes Torrecillas, a Tenerife resident returning from Bristol who was caught in the chaos.
Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating. There were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed.”
The situation became so severe that passengers had already endured 45-minute waits on the tarmac before being allowed to disembark, only to face the nightmare conditions inside the terminal.
‘Like a Third World Country’
With only two passport control booths operational to handle hundreds of arriving passengers, the scenes were described as “claustrophobic” and resembling conditions in developing nations rather than a major European tourist destination.
“This was an inhumane wait. These are people who’ve paid to enjoy a few days of sunshine, they shouldn’t be treated like cattle,” Torrecillas told local media, adding that the situation felt like being in a “third world” country.
Adding to the misery, broken escalators forced exhausted travelers to navigate stairs with heavy luggage, while automated passport gates failed to recognize children’s passports, forcing entire families into manual processing queues.
‘Almost Every Night’ Horror
In a damning revelation, Torrecillas claimed airport staff told her that similar scenes happen “almost every night,” with passengers regularly fainting or experiencing serious health problems while waiting.
She raised concerns about the lack of medical support,” reports confirmed, highlighting the systematic nature of the crisis rather than an isolated incident.
The lack of available toilets during the multi-hour ordeal added to passengers’ distress, with no water or assistance provided despite the sweltering conditions inside the packed terminal.
Brexit Blamed for Staffing Crisis
Spanish officials have pointed to Brexit as a major factor in the ongoing crisis, with UK travelers now requiring more extensive border checks since leaving the European Union.
Rosa Dávila, President of Tenerife’s ruling council, called the situation “unacceptable” and directly blamed the UK’s EU departure: “This is a structural issue. We can’t continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit.”
Despite an 18% increase in police officers assigned to the airport, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska acknowledged that “occasional delays” persist, particularly when multiple flights arrive simultaneously.
Tourism Industry Sounds Alarm
The crisis has prompted urgent warnings from tourism leaders about the damage to Tenerife’s reputation as a quality destination.
“This is the first impression our visitors get. After hours on a plane, they’re met with long waits and no explanation. It’s not acceptable, and it’s hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination,” warned Lope Afonso, Tenerife’s Tourism Minister.
The minister added pointedly: “Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have since adapted their systems in response to Brexit. Why haven’t we?”
The Ashotel hotel association has repeatedly warned about the impact on the island’s reputation, with president Jorge Marichal describing the airport as offering a “lousy image as the main gateway” and lamenting years of “neglect” in government funding.
Compound Misery: Hour-Long Taxi Waits
For those who finally cleared passport control, the ordeal wasn’t over. Travelers then faced additional hour-long waits for taxis due to regulations that grant exclusive operating rights to vehicles from one municipality, forcing taxis from other areas to leave empty after dropping off passengers.
Emergency Response
Following the latest incident, authorities convened an emergency meeting to address what officials are calling a crisis that threatens the island’s vital tourism industry.
Dávila revealed she had written to mainland politicians but received “unsatisfactory responses,” adding: “There’s a serious disregard toward Tenerife. We’re managing essential services locally, but without state support, we’re being left to fail.”
With the busy summer season approaching and the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) expected to launch in October 2025, potentially adding further delays, tourism officials are demanding immediate action to prevent similar scenes from becoming the norm.
As one official warned: “We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead.”
For the British families who experienced the terrifying crush, lifting their children above their heads to help them breathe, the damage to their holiday memories—and potentially to Tenerife’s reputation—may already be done.
