Lola García Again Urges Transport Minister for Airport Solutions
The Cabildo of Fuerteventura has reiterated to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility the urgent need to address deficiencies in the conservation and management of Fuerteventura Airport. In a new letter addressed to Minister Óscar Puente, island president Lola García asked the State to “address the priority matters that affect the image, operation and safety” of the airport infrastructure.
According to García, the landscaped areas and common spaces of the terminal are in a state of abandonment, despite repeated requests from the island administration and local groups for cleaning and restoration. The president recalled that the Cabildo had already approved a plenary motion demanding the reinstatement of the gardening service, yet no effective solution has been provided to date.
“It is the first impression residents and visitors get when they arrive in Fuerteventura,” García warned in her letter.
The Cabildo also expressed concern over the air‑traffic‑control tower, which is currently managed by the private company SAERCO. García has asked the Ministry to intervene to “guarantee the quality of the service under public management until a definitive model that ensures stability and safety” is agreed.
The letter cites an internal SAERCO report that records staff adjustments based on air‑traffic demand. The island administration says this policy especially affects islands like Fuerteventura, whose tourism activity and geographic particularities require a permanent and sufficient coverage of controllers. Both the Cabildo and the Air Controllers’ Union (USCA) have unsuccessfully sought a formal response from the Ministry on this issue.
For García, the airport is a strategic infrastructure for the island, whose state of conservation and service quality “directly impact air safety, the local economy and the tourist image of Fuerteventura.”
Deficiencies at the airport since 2024
14 August 2024 – The Cabildo and USCA asked the State to reverse the privatization of air‑traffic control in Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and La Palma, urging that the public entity ENAIRE temporarily assume the service due to the financial problems acknowledged by SAERCO. Both parties warned of incidents in shift coverage and labor conditions that could jeopardise operational safety.
November 2024 – The Canary Coalition denounced delays in salary payments and staff shortages by AEMA Hispánica S.L., the contractor responsible for maintenance and gardening at several archipelago airports, including Fuerteventura. The dispute affected ten workers, who went more than two months without wages, prompting the Canary Government to intervene with AENA to demand compliance with labor contracts.
These ongoing issues underline the Cabildo’s call for immediate state intervention to safeguard the airport’s functionality and reputation.