Same at Alicante a few weeks ago. Before we boarded at Leeds a woman was outside with us having her 'fix' and she said you could smoke airside in Alicante. Good job we checked on return as, on asking we were told 'nope'

Hi Glynis
It's always been a different scenario between Alicante airport and Malaga.
When the smoking ban came into force in Spain, Alicante airport had for a very short time designated areas, which didn't comply with the rules, so, they got rid of the areas and it became a no-smoking building.
However, there is a certain gate for those of us in the know which is away from the main hub and bustle and usually totally deserted, so, the few smokers who knew about it would trek up there and have a crafty cig.
Even though it was not allowed, nobody seemed to mind and turned a blind eye, until a few inconsiderate people started putting the fag ends out on the floor and then the cleaners were up in arms over it, so most people would buy a drink of anything and use the last remains of the fluid in the "cup" to drown the butt end, and then dispose of it in the waste bins, thus keeping the cleaners happy and making sure there was no risk of fire.
This was still happening in March of this year, I don't know if they have clamped down on it since March, but, if you ask anyone if you can smoke at Alicante airport, the answer will be no, even though some of us did.

When the ban came into force, Malaga airport actually created designated areas on all the levels that did comply with the rules IE: enclosed, ventilated and sign posted to keep the door closed at all times and to keep persons under 18 years of age out."¦..in other words it was a glass cage with a humongous ashtray in the middle of the room, usually situated at the end of the various level walkways with only one gate near it that was hardly used, so, unless you were a smoker or using that particular gate, you wouldn't have any reason to go down there.

Now, they've got rid of these areas and the building is a no-smoking building throughout, although on level B, there used to be a door which led outside into a small quadrangle and still within the airport, with benches and litter bins/ashtrays, but, Malaga airport is a mess at the moment while the new one is under construction and could we find it last Tuesday,? nope.!

Don't get me wrong, it's no big deal and we managed without and survived, but, instead of waltzing straight through the procedure, we'd have popped back outside after checking in and spent a little while outside in the sunshine, and had a final fix.

Sanji

what a bummer!!! just have to smoke a good few before we go in deparature coming home..

In the lounge at Malaga airport, they used to have a smoking room and a non smoking room.
Has that gone now, Sanji?

I don't know about the lounge as I've never been inside a VIP lounge in any airport, but all the areas on level B and level C have gone....the glass partitions/cages have been removed, the area opened up and seating installed.
We knew where they were because we have used them before and headed straight down there, then we traipsed to the other level (B) and we couldn't find anywhere, I asked someone (a Spanish cleaner) and she said "Terminado" and made a gesture with her hands to say finished, gone.!

Sanji

Perhaps a short break is called for - just to investigate!!!

Perhaps a short break is called for - just to investigate!!!

That's a blooming good idea Suzie
10 weeks to go to check it out again

Thanks for the explanation Sanji - she should have gone into more detail and told us where the 'sneaky smoking corner' was -

Is the new Malaga airport ready? What is the old one like?

Thanks