“We obviously have an issue with border queues and are working intensively with ANA to redesign the departure area to make things easier. But as a frequent flyer myself, no one can currently be satisfied with the passenger experience at national airports,” stated Hugo Espírito Santo in Macau.
The official was speaking at the 50th National Congress of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT), following remarks by the president of the Board of Directors of ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, who noted that Lisbon airport accommodates 36 million passengers despite being designed for 22 million.
“We are in a continuous improvement process for the facilities. It’s like a permanent open-heart operation,” said José Luís Arnaut, pointing out various constraints.
Both had previously identified border control queues as a significant problem in Lisbon.
The Secretary of State asserted that this does not justify all the issues.
“Besides everything being done for improvements, we have airports that are cramped, with narrow corridors and indicators that fall short of service quality standards, including baggage delivery,” the official warned.
“We’ve repeatedly faced issues with X-ray wait times and passengers with reduced mobility. Currently, we face large problems with wait times. It’s essential to recognize that this is not just a passport and border issue. It’s also about reconsidering the quality of service at airports. We have been consistently emphasizing this with ANA to genuinely improve quality,” he explained.
Hugo Espírito Santo highlighted the necessity of constantly considering safety in this sector.
“I look at the safety data from NAV [air traffic control] and ANAC, which is quite concerning. The systems are running close to their limits, which worries me,” he admitted.
Earlier, the official assured that the government is closely monitoring the queues at Lisbon airport, acknowledging they are an embarrassment for the government, with hopes to resolve the issues by summer.
“The border situation is an embarrassment for the government. We must be humble about our performance. At present, it’s an embarrassment, and all we can do is apologize,” he stated.
He added that the causes are known, solutions are being evaluated, and praised ANA’s assistance with the situation.
“The government is closely overseeing this issue. Five ministers are directly involved, analyzing day-to-day data to see how long it takes to pass through Lisbon’s borders,” he added.
Hugo Espírito Santo pointed out that the root of the problem is clear, linked to “a lack of PSP agents,” compounded by “technological challenges and instability, especially with e-gates,” and a “slower system.”
The challenge, he acknowledged, is to resolve the situation by June.
“It’s a serious problem beyond our control,” stated José Luís Arnaut earlier, noting that similar service level requirements were attempted for public services like borders but were never successfully implemented.
