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| Seaplane of Surcar Airlines in the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
Canary Islands’ air connectivity has seen several milestones: in December 1919, French pilot Henry Lefranc landed a seaplane in Lanzarote, marking the first direct flight to the archipelago. In 1926, the iconic Plus Ultra made a stop in Las Palmas during its journey between Spain and the Americas. However, the first regular commercial seaplane service appeared after World War II: the British company Aquila Airways operated several “flying boats” (Short Solent aircraft) in the 1950s between Southampton, Lisbon, Madeira, and Gran Canaria. Aquila’s last passenger flight departed Las Palmas on November 10, 1957, bound for Southampton, closing the era of the great “flying ships.” Sixty-five years passed without commercial seaplanes in the Canary Islands until January 2022, when the Canarian company Surcar Airlines drew public attention with the first test flights of a modern amphibious Twin Otter in Tenerife and La Palma.
The first seaplanes used floats or a boat-shaped hull to land on water. Over the years, different models have been employed—from light experimental seaplanes (like Lefranc’s in 1919) to Aquila’s powerful Short Solent in the 1950s. Today, Surcar operates a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter converted to amphibious use (equipped with floats), a short-range aircraft (capacity ≈ 15 passengers) ideal for regional routes. This type of amphibious plane can take off and land both on conventional runways and on water.
Regarding infrastructure, operations rely on adapted maritime ports. Historically, docks and ramps were used for boarding and refueling, while Surcar’s current project envisions the construction of a seaplane terminal at the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with a passenger terminal, gangways connecting the breakwater to floating pontoons for mooring, fuel tanks, and storage facilities. About 2,484 m² of port area (between dock and water surface) would be used, sharing water channels with maritime traffic. These facilities—pontoons, gangways, and fuel depots—will enable safe take-offs, landings, and refueling.
Surcar Airlines describes its project as a “unique opportunity for the Canary Islands” and its tourism industry. Initially, the airline expects to operate about five daily flights, carrying roughly 100 passengers per day (around 7,300 flights per year). Although modest in scale (16 seats per aircraft and about 15,000 passengers annually), the company argues it offers a more central, faster, and sustainable transport option: it directly links downtown Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (eliminating long transfers to airports) with 25–35 minute flights (Tenerife–Gran Canaria in about 30 minutes). Moreover, it estimates up to a 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions per passenger, simply by avoiding road trips to airports.
From a tourism standpoint, Surcar presents itself as a “sightseeing” service that adds value to the destination: beyond connecting cities, the seaplane experience is promoted as innovative and attractive. The local hospitality sector (for instance, Ashotel) supports the project, considering it complementary to traditional transport. Surcar also expects to create highly qualified jobs (pilots, mechanics, engineers) and attract investment in aeronautical R&D in the Canary Islands. However, some opinions emphasize its limited scale: seaplanes will not replace ferries or existing air bridges but will target a niche of travelers—business or urban tourists—who value speed and novelty.
The reintroduction of seaplanes in the Canaries is closely tied to the islands’ maritime identity. Surcar even promotes it as a “romantic, agile, and safe” way to bring Canarians closer together. The initiative stands out as a milestone in tourism innovation, with support from the regional government and local tourism associations. In fact, Surcar has gained backing from Ashotel and the endorsement of major transport operators as a complement to the archipelago’s travel offering. The company insists that international experience (for example, in Vancouver, Seattle, or the Maldives) proves the popularity of seaplane taxis in port areas. Technically, Surcar points out that seaplane operations are very safe: according to the company, in 30 years of service worldwide, no passenger fatalities have occurred.
Surcar Airlines is a Canarian airline with Danish participation created for this purpose. Its current business model focuses on panoramic sightseeing flights from the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. According to its environmental permit, it will start with about five daily flights (“spotlight tours”) where passengers board and disembark at the same port. Its mid-term plan is to extend that authorization and later obtain permits for inter-island flights (Santa Cruz–Las Palmas, Santa Cruz–La Palma) once operations have been tested. Surcar has already conducted demonstration flights (January–February 2022) between ports, and it is now focusing on completing the necessary administrative processes.
The planned fleet consists of the DHC-6 Twin Otter amphibious aircraft, a robust twin-engine short-haul plane. Surcar has indicated that it will initially employ Danish crews while training local pilots. It is also involved in green propulsion programs, working with Ampaire and ZeroAvia to introduce hybrid and electric engines into its seaplanes. The stated goal is to make the Canary Islands one of the first regions in Europe with near-zero-emission commercial flights by 2028, taking advantage of initiatives like the PLOCAN Green Hydrogen Platform.
Surcar has also obtained institutional support: it is registered as a ZEC (“Zona Especial Canaria”) company and has the backing of the Port Authority. In 2025, the airline stated that its project “remains under administrative review” despite some recent regulatory hurdles. CEO Gerardo Morales-Hierro emphasizes that this service would make Santa Cruz de Tenerife “the first Spanish city with such a service,” reinforcing the archipelago’s tourism brand. In the near future, the company expects to begin regular commercial operations, offering faster inter-island transport directly connected to urban centers. Meanwhile, the arrival of seaplanes in the Canaries is anticipated as a landmark in tourism innovation and regional mobility.
From our business initiatives, we welcome Surcar Airlines and its project to establish regular seaplane routes in the Canary Islands, wishing it every success in its journey. We believe this air transport mode not only adds value to the archipelago’s tourism offer but also revives an essential symbol of its modern history.
La Laguna, November 5, 2025
Coordinator,
Miguel Muñoz
1. Atlántico Hoy – Surcar Airlines Stands by Its Commitment to Seaplanes at the Port of Tenerife (2025)
2. Canarias7 – Surcar Airlines Will Bring Seaplanes Back to the Canary Islands (2022)
3. ABC Canarias – The Return of Seaplanes to the Canary Islands (2022)
https://www.abc.es/espana/canarias/regreso-hidroaviones-canarias-202201290102_noticia.html
4. El País – New Seaplane Flights Will Connect the Islands from the Port (2022)
5. EFE / Diario de Avisos – Surcar Airlines Plans to Build a Seaplane Base in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (2023)
https://diariodeavisos.elespanol.com/2023/10/surcar-airlines-hidroaviones-santa-cruz-tenerife/
6. Wikipedia – Aquila Airways
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquila_Airways
7. La Provincia / Diario de Las Palmas – The Last Flight of Aquila’s Seaplanes in Gran Canaria (1957)
https://www.laprovincia.es/gran-canaria/2017/11/10/60-anos-vuelo-hidroavion-canarias-9590628.html
8. Surcar Airlines – Official Website
https://www.surcarairlines.com/
9. Cabildo de Tenerife – Institutional Support for the Seaplane Project (Press Release, 2024)
https://www.tenerife.es/portalcabtfe/es/noticias/item/3637-cabildo-apoya-proyecto-surcar-airlines
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| From left to right, our coordinator, Miguel Muñoz, and the secretary of our business initiatives, Ramiro Rosón, at Mesón Los Ángeles. –Mesón Los Ángeles |
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