The Dreaded Diversion
It’s a familiar scene. You peer out the airplane window, expecting to greet the misty skies of Los Rodeos Airport, only to hear the captain deliver the news every Tenerife-bound traveler fears: “We’re diverting to Tenerife South.” Your heart sinks. After a long journey or a grueling day-trip to Gran Canaria, you were counting on getting home on time—but now the Atlantic fog has traded your plans for a landscape of volcanic malpaís, greenhouses, and scattered urban clusters. Sixty kilometers stretch ahead, leaving one inevitable question: what now?
A Solution Takes Flight
To ease this frustration, Tenerife’s Cabildo (via public transport operator Titsa) and airline Binter announced a new express land corridor this Saturday. The shuttle will transport diverted passengers between the two airports, softening the blow of weather-related disruptions—though the hour-long road trip remains unavoidable. The service activates exclusively when Binter alerts Titsa of operational disruptions. Boarding requires showing a boarding pass or documentation proving the passenger or airline crew was affected by the diversion.
Seamless Transfers, Fewer Headaches
Titsa will deploy buses with 45–50 seats, enough to accommodate passengers from Binter’s Canary Island fleet—ATR-72 and Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. The route connects both airports directly, with a single stop at Santa Cruz Interchange for transfers to urban and intercity lines. Eulalia García, Tenerife’s Mobility Councillor, highlights the initiative as proof of “coordinated responsiveness among Canary Island entities,” reinforcing Titsa’s role as a key operator “even in extraordinary situations.”
Why This Matters
Miguel Ángel Suárez, Binter’s Commercial Director, calls the agreement a win for passengers: it “minimizes diversion impacts and upholds the service quality our customers expect,” while showcasing “effective public-private collaboration.” Previously, airlines scrambled to arrange ad-hoc solutions like taxis or last-minute buses, often leaving passengers stranded with delays and little information. The new protocol establishes Tenerife’s first predefined crisis mobility plan between its two airports.
Beyond Passenger Comfort
The Cabildo hopes the “express corridor” will ease traveler anxiety and expedite crew repositioning—a critical factor in restoring normal flight operations after weather forces diversions from Los Rodeos (or, less commonly, Reina Sofía Airport). For islanders and visitors alike, it’s a small but meaningful step toward smoother journeys when the infamous Canarian fog rolls in.
