Lanzarote Airport Incident Under Investigation After Two Aircraft Briefly Shared the Runway
Aviation authorities are investigating an unusual incident at César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport after two passenger aircraft were briefly on the same runway during separate landing and departure movements.
The incident happened on Monday, 28 September 2026. A Ryanair service arriving from Dublin, flight FR5910, was landing on runway 03 when an Iberia Express aircraft, flight IB1502 bound for Madrid, entered the same runway via exit E1 before the Ryanair aircraft had completely cleared it.
Video recorded by Lanzarote Webcam shows the two aircraft on the runway at the same time. The Ryanair aircraft continued to slow down and was able to leave the runway via exit E2. The Iberia Express aircraft was preparing for a departure using runway 21.
According to reports about the incident, another aircraft was also approaching Lanzarote Airport and could not land while the runway remained occupied.
Watch the Lanzarote Airport runway incident video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYd1aODFil0
AESA investigation now underway
The Spanish State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Aena sources confirmed to La Voz de Lanzarote that an investigation is taking place.
At this stage, the investigation is important because the available video shows what happened operationally, but it does not by itself establish why the aircraft entered the runway at that particular moment or which procedures and communications were involved.
There have been no reports of a collision or injuries connected with the incident. Ryanair has also said that its Dublin-Lanzarote flight landed normally in accordance with air traffic control instructions.
Why the footage has attracted attention
Runway movements at a busy airport depend on precise coordination between aircraft, ground movements and air traffic control. An arriving aircraft needs to clear the runway before another aircraft is authorised to occupy it for a conflicting movement.
That is why the Lanzarote Airport video has attracted so much attention. It provides an unusual view of two aircraft occupying the same runway area during an arrival and a departure sequence.
However, it is important not to draw conclusions about the cause of the incident before the aviation safety investigation has established the facts.
Concerns about air traffic control staffing
The incident has also renewed discussion about air traffic control staffing at César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport.
The Union Sindical de Controladores Aéreos (USCA) has previously raised concerns about staffing levels at the airport. In September, the union said the tower had 14 controllers compared with 22 positions it said were contemplated in the latest service tender. Those staffing claims are separate from the investigation into this particular incident, and there has been no official finding that staffing levels caused the runway event.
For visitors flying to Lanzarote, there is currently no indication from the information available that normal holiday flights to the island have been suspended because of this incident.
Lanzarote Airport remains one of the island's main gateways for tourists and residents, handling a large number of domestic and international flights throughout the year. A single unusual incident should therefore be considered in the context of the airport's wider day-to-day operation, while the formal investigation takes place.
What happens next?
The key question now is what caused the Iberia Express aircraft to enter the runway before the Ryanair aircraft had fully cleared it.
AESA's investigation should help establish the sequence of events, the relevant air traffic control instructions and communications, and whether any changes are required to prevent a similar occurrence.
For passengers travelling through Lanzarote Airport, the practical advice remains the same: check your airline's flight information before travelling and allow plenty of time for airport procedures, particularly during busy periods.
