Dozens of passengers were stranded at Lanzarote Airport following a passport system failure, increasing pressure to suspend the EU Entry/Exit System across the Canary Islands.

Lanzarote Passport System Failure Leaves Passengers Stranded as Canary Islands Face Fresh EES Pressure

Standfirst: A passport control system failure at Lanzarote Airport left dozens of passengers unable to board flights, adding fresh pressure on Spain to suspend the EU Entry/Exit System in the Canary Islands after PP tourism spokesperson David Morales warned the rollout is damaging the islands’ reputation with British travellers.

What we know

A passport control system failure affected Lanzarote Airport on Monday 4 May 2026.
Dozens of passengers travelling outside the EU were reportedly left unable to board.
La Voz de Lanzarote reported that almost 70 passengers on a Ryanair flight to Edinburgh were left behind.
National Police sources confirmed a passport control system failure.
The issue came amid growing calls to suspend the EU Entry/Exit System in the Canary Islands.
David Morales of the Partido Popular has asked for the system to be stopped temporarily at Canary Islands airports.

What happened at Lanzarote Airport?

Lanzarote Airport faced fresh disruption on Monday morning after a failure in the passport control system affected passengers travelling to destinations outside the European Union.

According to La Voz de Lanzarote, the incident happened at César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport and left dozens of passengers unable to leave the island on time.

The local report said a Ryanair flight from Lanzarote to Edinburgh was particularly affected, with almost 70 passengers reportedly left on the ground after the system collapse caused serious problems at passport control.

National Police sources confirmed to La Voz that the disruption was caused by a failure in the passport control system. Other sources cited by the newspaper suggested the issue was linked to a wider disconnection problem affecting systems across Europe, slowing passport processing at airports.

Although the system was reportedly restored by midday, the incident has once again raised serious questions about whether the current border technology is ready for the reality of busy Canary Islands tourism.

Why this matters to British holidaymakers

The disruption matters because British travellers are among the passengers most affected by post-Brexit border controls when entering and leaving Schengen destinations such as Spain and the Canary Islands.

The EU Entry/Exit System, known as EES, is designed to replace manual passport stamping with a digital record for non-EU travellers. It can include passport details, facial images and fingerprints, depending on the stage of rollout and border requirements.

In theory, the system is meant to modernise border checks and improve security. In practice, airports across major holiday destinations have already seen queues, delays and passenger frustration when systems slow down, fail or are not properly staffed.

For Lanzarote, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria, this is a major concern. These islands depend heavily on smooth airport arrivals and departures, especially from the UK market. A system failure does not just delay a few passengers. It creates anxiety, damages confidence and can quickly become a tourism reputation issue.

David Morales and the PP call for the EES to be suspended

The latest Lanzarote incident comes just days after David Morales, tourism spokesperson for the Partido Popular in the Canary Islands Parliament, called for Spain to suspend the EU Entry/Exit System at airports across the archipelago.

Morales has argued that the system is not working properly and that the Canary Islands should use the temporary suspension mechanisms available under EU rules when technical failures or excessive passenger traffic create unacceptable delays.

The PP says the situation is particularly serious at major tourist airports including Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, where large numbers of British travellers arrive and depart every week.

Morales has also warned about the damage caused by images of long airport queues circulating in the UK and on social media. For a destination that sells itself as easy, safe and welcoming, repeated scenes of congestion at passport control are a major problem.

Is the EES fit for purpose?

Mr TravelON’s view is clear: as it stands, this system is not fit for purpose in the Canary Islands.

That does not mean border security should be ignored. It does not mean passport checks should disappear. But it does mean that a system which repeatedly causes delays, queues, missed flights and confusion cannot be considered ready for one of Europe’s busiest holiday regions.

If the technology fails, passengers lose. If staffing is not strong enough, passengers lose. If airports are not adapted properly for peak travel days, passengers lose. And when passengers lose confidence, tourism destinations lose too.

The Canary Islands need a system that works in the real world, not just on paper. Until that happens, the EES should be paused, fixed and properly tested before being allowed to cause further disruption.

Please do not stop going on holiday

Despite the disruption, the message from TravelON World is also important: please do not stop going on holiday.

Lanzarote, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria remain open, safe and welcoming. The resorts are operating normally, hotels are full, excursions are running and millions of visitors continue to enjoy the Canary Islands every year.

The problem is not the holiday. The problem is the border system.

Holidaymakers should not be scared into cancelling trips because of one system failure or dramatic airport headlines. However, travellers should be prepared, informed and realistic. At busy times, passport control may take longer than expected.

What travellers should do now

Do not cancel your Canary Islands holiday because of EES concerns.
Allow extra time at the airport, especially when flying back to the UK.
Keep passports and boarding passes ready before reaching control points.
Listen to airport and airline staff during delays.
Check airline updates before travelling to the airport.
Book with reputable airlines, tour operators and travel providers.
If you miss a flight because of airport processing issues, speak to your airline immediately and keep all evidence.

What this means for Lanzarote and the wider Canary Islands

The Lanzarote passport failure has added weight to the argument that the Canary Islands need urgent action before the peak summer period.

Ryanair has already called for the system to be paused until after summer, warning that airports including Lanzarote, Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Málaga, Alicante and others have seen long waiting times.

For the Canary Islands, this issue is bigger than one airline. It affects airport operations, destination reputation, hotel confidence, tour operators, local businesses and the overall visitor experience.

If British tourists begin to associate Canary Islands holidays with long queues and missed flights, the damage could be far greater than the delay itself.

Analysis: The Canary Islands need a working border system, not airport chaos

The Canary Islands cannot afford a broken or badly implemented border system.

Tourism is not a side industry here. It is one of the main pillars of the economy. When airports work well, the destination works well. When airports fail, the first and last memory of a holiday can become stress, queues and confusion.

That is why the calls from David Morales and the PP matter. This is no longer just tourists complaining on social media. It is now a political, economic and tourism issue.

The sensible solution is not panic. It is not telling people to stay at home. It is not attacking travellers. The sensible solution is to suspend the system where it is failing, fix the technology, increase staffing, improve airport flow and bring it back only when it can handle the reality of Canary Islands tourism.

Mr TravelON comment

Mr TravelON said:

“This is exactly what we have been warning about. The Canary Islands are one of the busiest holiday destinations in Europe, especially for British tourists, and you cannot roll out a system that causes queues, confusion and even missed flights. It is not fit for purpose in its current form.”

“But let me be clear: do not stop going on holiday. Lanzarote, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria are still fantastic destinations. The problem is not the holiday. The problem is the system. Stop it, fix it, staff it properly and bring it back when it works.”