The incident occurred shortly after 8:30 AM, when thick smoke covered part of the boarding area. This immediately activated security protocols, leading to the evacuation of travelers closest to the smoke curtain, which concentrated near the check-in counters and security arches.
Before the arrival of firefighting teams, officers from the Civil Guard and the National Police provided instructions to the hundreds of people present. Although the source of the smoke was quickly detected and the terminal ventilated, the lack of clear information caused confusion among those affected.
“"I've already missed my flight, but maybe on Tuesday I'll be rich because I won the Euromillions I bought at Los Rodeos."
The nervousness of many passengers was not so much due to the smoke incident, which was controlled by firefighters, but to the frustration of having missed their flights and connections. The situation was complicated by the scarce information provided, with airport management referring to a generic statement on social media advising passengers to check with their airlines.
“"Today we start a vacation in Rome, but I think we've already missed the flight to Italy. The Tenerife-Madrid flight is already history, and we won't make the other one... I didn't expect such a complicated and, above all, unpleasant Sunday... Patience!"
Once re-entry to the terminal was authorized, a rush of passengers ensued, seeking solutions. Some headed to the check-in counters, others to Aena employees, and many chose to take refuge in the cafeterias, which saw frantic activity. Normalcy gradually returned, although claims for missed flights continued at airline counters.
