Lanzarote airport actual chaos or exaggerated drama

[Halfblindbunny]

So I have booked for us to go to Lanzarote first week of summer holidays. Massive treat for us all and post DS2s GCSEs. We rarely go abroad and haven't even been anywhere in the summer holidays or as far a field as Lanzarote.

But all I've heard since is how horrific the airport is. Ryanair leaving passengers behind because they can't get checked in, through security and through the EES system in the 2 hrs and can't start the process earlier than 2 hrs as bag drop doesn't open until then.

It's really causing me anxiety but I don't know if it's really horrific or not. People are blaming EES but a lot of the queues are before bag drop so nothing to do with EES.

Anyone been recently or knows more about it than me. Do I need to be trying to cram everyone's stuff into hand luggage only so we don't have to do the bag drop part?

Following. Heading there for the first time early July

I had no issues a couple of weeks ago. With ND DCs and an EU DH we have a few combinations of things to do and a bit of herding, but got through in an orderly manner. Our flight was full with some big groups but the rest of the airport wasn't heaving.

I knew someone going through a week earlier who had more bother but she said that it was people being disorganised rather than the actual systems/ staff being the issue.

We are going at the same time as you! I heard lots of mixed reports, family friends who visit frequently say it’s a bit busier just recently because of all the cancelled holidays elsewhere, but nothing to worry about. Then my (very dramatic) neighbour says it was the worst airpot she’d ever been too!!
Really hoping by July everything will of evened itself out 🤞

It’s a bit of a madhouse, when busy (if there’s delays or anything) because it’s quite small.

I went last year and there was no queue either in or out but it was in mid November so not representative of the first week of the school holidays, especially as the new system wasn't in place.

I think its variable and you have to take a lot of online 'news' with a pinch of salt. There's a lot of scaremongering, ironically from the right wing press who encouraged people to vote to leave the EU which put UK passport holders in this situation (if they'd have ripped up the vote of anyone unable to explain what a third country is and any negatuve implication of being one, we wouldn't be in this mess).

Also how many of the people 'left behind' moved efficiently through the airport or were they in the bars or shops? Don't forget about the passport check after security but before the gate.

Its also dependant on how many UK flights are arriving or leaving at the same time, a lot of the queues will be due to this. On the way in you can also help yourself by not going to the first toilet you see off the plane. If you think this will be necessary, get the rest of your party in the queue first.

The next test will be the Easter and end of May holidays and also whether the system is fully implemented. So hopefully any issues will be ironed out by the summer but the reality is that it will be peak period so already busy. If its taking a long time for people to get through airports they might start opening bag drop early. But they don't want people there too early, eg more than 3 hours as it causes congestion airline.

Yeah Lanzarote is fab but we didn’t have a great experience at the airport. Queued for bag drop for AGES. Eventually they were pulling people out of the queue to make flights that were boarding. It was stressful. Literally got through, took kids to toilet and got onto the plane. However, I think there had been some kind of computer issue I don’t know if that’s typical or not.

Going Friday will feedback.

I went in January.

it was fine.

If you’re worried then just take appropriate precautions. Allow more time but also take plenty of things to do. So arrive a bit earlier eg 30-45 mins more at the airport, pack cards, games and make sure tech is charged then even if it’s busy it doesn’t matter.

We went at half term no issues at all, get there in plenty of time, we had speedy boarding but there was just one queue for easyJet, but security was a breeze, you just go to the kiosks as soon as you clear security then wait for boarding to be called, it took a couple of minutes to register

I arrived back from there last Thursday.
The journey there was an absolute nightmare for the rest of the party I was with. They queued for security for 3.5 hours, had to wait over an hour to collect their luggage, then were sitting on their coach for over 2 hours waiting for the other passagers to arrive.
There were no taxis available.

I had booked assisted travel so was taken straight through security, and on to my private transfer thankfully.

It was so cold for my friend's elderly mum waiting on the coach, there was no food or drink available, so my friend had to walk to the petrol station to her a hot drink and sandwich.

We had booked to go back at the end of April but have cancelled that booking now as they couldnt face that again.

Just to add, we have since been told that the airport is only this badbon Thursdays and Sundays.

Errmmm ive been over 10 times. Yes its busy and there are queues but no problems. Just dont plan to eat at airport, those queues are mad and give extra time for check in and you'll be fine. We do this, normally an extra hour and no problems.
Certainly not the worst airport ive been to

My father traveled the week before you and had the same experience on a Thursday. I’m dreading it when we go on a Sunday but it’s not until the beginning of September so hopefully it won’t be as busy with term time just starting.

We travelled there in February half term. Journeys there and back were totally fine (both Sundays) BUT We didn’t realise that on leaving Lanzarote, you have to go through immigration somewhere else in the airport after security, and that was where there were big queues. We checked in, went through security etc but there’s another step somewhere. No one explained this! It did say something in small print on the screens but it wasn’t obvious and we were juggling two small kids and have been there many times before and not had to do anything different. We got a bit told off at the gate but still let through onto the plane. My main pieces of advice are:

• make sure you educate yourself on what the process is at the airport! Read the small print, ask a staff member. Know that after security you need to go
• through immigration /passport control and go to it asap - you don’t get sent or signposted there until it’s too late!!!
• get there in good time (although it’s likely you’ll just wait at the check in desk for ages - that’s our experience) best to allow 3 hours.

@TheCurious0range i think this is good advice - the chaos came from people not knowing they had to register and being sent at the last minute. The problem is that instead of it being part of the process that you get moved through, it relies on people doing it for themselves!

I went in January with no issues. Currently sat in Mcr Airport waiting for flight so will see how it is on a Sunday 😎

My parents came back from Lanzarote on Thursday and said it was awful!

The main issue was the new immigration/security system with long queues of people trying to do their biometric bits and yes, they said people did miss their flights.

I think though, if you’re switched on and know what you’re doing before hand you’ll be fine.

There were a lot of people being in the wrong queue and then having to queue up elsewhere (they said there were plenty of staff to help but people relied on asking the person at the back of the queue if it was the correct one which meant the wrong information got passed further and further back the queue!).

If you ask staff rather than relying on strangers and know what you’re supposed to do then I think it will be ok. It was the first time my parents had used the new system and although they said it was fine once they understood what they had to do, it wasn’t straightforward when you didn’t!

They also mentioned long waits on the bus after having to carry large suitcases down many flights of stairs.

I image that once everyone is used to the new system, it will all be fine. Good luck!

In and out of airport in 7 minutes today. No hold luggage to wait for tho. The new system is just the same as the airport scanners except you do it twice and still have passport stamped

@Lovelanzahow was the weather?

Not lanzarote but I flew back from krakow yesterday and had seen similar horror stories. I got to the airport very early and had carry on only. I made it through each of security and passport control in about 10 minutes each. This was 2.45 hours before my flight.

where I sat I could see the queue for passport control and over the next 45 minutes it grew very quickly - by 7.15it was very long. However there were I think 4 or 5 uk flights over the space of 90 minutes so I assume it was purely due to that. If you check what flights leave at same time as you it should give some guidance as to how bad it might be.

Unfortunately this only helps if you are taking hand luggage. They don’t open the bag check in until 2 hours before the flight. We arrived early and the queue was so long (and not moving as desk closed) that it snaked out the terminal.

Ryanair try their best… pulling those on the earliest flights to the front of the queue. Understandable but also limits the benefits of arriving early.

The issue in recent weeks has been people physically being unable to clear bag check in and security within the two hours you are allowed from the point the check in opens. It’s simply not enough time.

We had no time to spare last year and were in the bag queue for absolutely ages. Had to go straight to gate despite arriving earlier than the airline suggested.

What? I’ve been to Lanzarote about 20 and no one has ever been left behind 😂
Yes it’s busy, yes it’s very small. Just get there on time, check in and go through security?

89 people were left behind recently by Ryanair. I appreciate it's a rare occurrence but it has happened.

A friend had this experience recently at Tenerife -she is the most organised person and has only hand luggage but the queues through security at the gate meant that she missed her (EastJet) flight home.