Aerodrome

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1920

Given the importance of being a stopover point on air routes to West Africa and South America, in October 1919 the Tenerife Cabildo agreed to grant the State the necessary land to establish an airfield in Tenerife. Months later, this was extended to any interested European air service. 

Among the proposed areas to locate the future airport were: Montaña Roja (Médano), Los Cristianos, El Bailadero in Arico, La Cuesta and, in Santa Cruz, both Llano de Regla and Ofra, here on a large plot between the Ballester estate and the Rosario road, where a plot of almost 200,000 square metres was designated for this use but was ultimately not used.  

In 1939, after the end of the Civil War, it was still considered to locate the airfield around there, between La Cuesta and Ofra. Meanwhile, it was advised to use the Bailadero aerodrome provisionally, located next to the general road section between Arico and Abona.  

Finally, on 23 January 1941, Los Rodeos airport was opened to traffic, near La Laguna, a place that had been used sporadically as an aerodrome since 1929.

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