Waiting times at Lisbon airport have surpassed three hours on Sunday due to “insufficient resources and functioning SEF border control areas”, according to ANA Airports. Long waiting lines are present at arrivals, but also departures for passengers without EU documents. Passengers at Lisbon airport were being given water to help minimize discomfort during waiting times this weekend.
SEF has announced that the airports at Porto and Faro are also facing a high influx of passengers. The Observador reports that on Saturday and Saturday over 100,000 people passed through border controls at Portuguese airports, around 50,000 in Lisbon, 36,000 in Faro, and 10,000 in Porto.
According to Ana Vieira, the inspector of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), these are record high numbers never before seen by SEF, “a new reality and we must find solutions”.
To mitigate the chaos at Lisbon airport, a plan to increase staff in Lisbon by over 100 people is underway by July 4. 49 members of staff will be added to the Porto airport and 45 to Faro airport. Ana Vieira also said on Monday that more e-gates will soon be available for passengers from Canada and the United States to relieve pressure at arrivals.
Waiting times for those without EU documents are likely to remain long throughout the summer, particularly until the end of July.