Drone stops all flights taking off or landing at Lanzarote Airport

Flights at Lanzarote Airport were temporarily suspended yesterday (Sunday) after an illegal drone was spotted near the runway, triggering immediate safety protocols and grounding of all planes.

The alert was raised during the afternoon when an unmanned aerial device was detected close to the Airport. According to air traffic controllers, operations were halted straight away to ensure the safety of both aircraft and passengers.

The presence of the drone forced several incoming commercial flights to remain in holding patterns over the sea while the situation was assessed. The runway closure lasted for around 40 minutes, during which aircraft carried out delay manoeuvres before being cleared to land.

Air traffic controllers carefully managed the situation to avoid any risk, and no flights had to be diverted to other airports in the Canary Islands. Normal operations resumed at approximately 4:40pm once the airspace was confirmed to be completely clear.

Serious consequences for drone misuse

Flying drones near an airport is considered a very serious offence. Fines for operating such devices in restricted airspace without permission can exceed €225,000.

The incident highlights the importance of complying with regulations set by AESA (Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea). Any unidentified object detected near flight paths requires strict emergency procedures, including the full suspension of all flights until safety can be guaranteed.

Authorities have once again stressed that even a single drone in controlled airspace can bring airport operations to a complete standstill.