Canary Islands Airports to end liquid and laptop checks at security
Passengers travelling through the main airports in the Canary Islands will soon no longer need to remove liquids or electronic devices from their hand luggage during security checks. The change was confirmed by Elena Mayoral Corcuera, Director General of Airports at AENA, during the presentation of the 2027–2031 investment plan for airport infrastructure in the archipelago.
The move follows the introduction of new-generation security scanners already operating in Madrid, Barcelona and Palma. “With these new machines, passengers no longer need to take out electronic devices or liquids,” she explained.
She added that the rollout is especially important because upcoming European regulations warn that airports with high passenger flows must adopt these scanners to avoid longer queues.
Larger machines mean layout changes
The upgrade is not as simple as swapping one scanner for another. The new equipment is significantly larger and heavier, requiring modifications to airport layouts. Security areas will need to be reorganised, with lanes relocated and more space allocated to accommodate the technology. These adjustments form part of the wider investments planned for Canary Islands airports over the next five years.
Step-by-step introduction across the islands
The scanners will be installed first at the main airports: Tenerife Sur, Tenerife North, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and La Palma. The deployment will run progressively between 2027 and 2031, and the goal is for airports in El Hierro and La Gomera to receive the technology as well.
Javier Marín San Andrés, Executive Vice President of AENA, added that this technological upgrade is part of the operator’s strategy to raise service quality standards as outlined in its new five-year investment plan.
Once fully implemented, the change is expected to speed up security procedures, ease congestion and provide a smoother travel experience for millions of passengers each year.
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