Armando Santana, a councillor from the Mixed Group of the Lanzarote and La Graciosa Cabildo, successfully pushed for a motion on Friday demanding urgent measures to ensure the safety of air traffic control at César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport.
All political groups in the Assembly supported the proposal except for the PSOE, which voted against it. Santana stressed the need to address warnings about potential deficiencies in the service, particularly following an incident on 29 September 2026, when an Iberia Express aircraft taxied onto the runway while a Ryanair plane was still landing—a matter currently under investigation by the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).
“Air safety in Lanzarote and La Graciosa cannot be left to uncertainty or a lack of information. We must demand explanations and ensure our airport has all the necessary resources to operate safely,” Santana said when presenting the motion.
The proposal highlights concerns from the Air Traffic Controllers’ Union (USCA), which noted that Lanzarote’s control tower is staffed by 14 controllers instead of the 22 indicated in the latest tender. As a result, the motion demands official information from SAERCO regarding actual staffing levels, personnel needs, shift schedules, absence coverage, and measures to prevent fatigue.
The approved agreements also call for AESA to report on the investigation and evaluate urgent preventive measures, for Aena to clarify security procedures and prevent runway incursions, and for all involved parties to assess potential human, technical, and organisational factors.
Additionally, an institutional meeting is requested with AESA, Aena, SAERCO, and union representatives to address the situation and establish follow-up mechanisms.
“I don’t want this motion to be just a formal declaration. I want answers, documentation, and concrete commitments. Lanzarote cannot afford to leave such a crucial issue unresolved,” Santana concluded. The agreements will be forwarded to the relevant authorities, requesting information on completed or planned actions within two months.
