Tenerife South Airport Guide

Tenerife South Airport is often referred to as Reina Sofia or Tenerife Sur. It is the larger airport on the island handling most of the holiday flights. Tenerife North Los Rodeos Airport is in the north of the island and mostly handles inter-island and Spanish domestic flights.

It was opened in 1978 by Queen Sofia (hence the name) after the island authorities decided they needed a new location for an airport as the existing one did not meet technical requirements due to adverse weather conditions.

So it is likely that if you are flying from the UK or Ireland you will land at Tenerife South Airport and not Los Rodeos in the north.

The airport is situated to the south of the island in the heart of the tourist area. The island's capital Santa Cruz is 60km to the south west of the and the popular resort of Playa de Las Americas is 16km to the south east.. It is close to the TF1 which links Santa Cruz with the south of the island and has its own dedicated exit from the motorway.

There are excellent transport links with the public bus service offering cheap and fast services most part of the island. Line 343 connects the South Airport with the North Airport . There are no rail services on Tenerife.

The airport has a single terminal and if you need any assistance on flight enquiries, general airport information and lost property then there are two information desks with bilingual staff in the central hall opposite arrivals and departures.

If you have mobility problems then you'll be delighted to learn that the airport is very accessible for wheelchair users with lifts to the upper floors. Other facilities to assist disabled passengers incude telephones, restaurants and toilets. It is important that travellers with mobility problems give their airline notice of any special requirements at least 72 hours before departure to give them time to make the necessary arrangements.

This island is crowned by volcanic Mount Teide in the National Park. It's the highest in Spain at 3,718 metres and has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. The easiest way to get there is to hire a car which you leave in a safe area before catching the cable car to get to its summit. It's still active, but the only volcanic evidence I've experienced is the smell of rotten eggs caused by sulphur gas emissions.

Tenerife is busiest during the winter months when its warm climate attracts Northern European tourists who flock there to get some some sunshine. In 2014 Tenerife Reina Sofia Airport handled 9.176.274passengers with 9.176.274 flight operations.

By Linda Craik Google+