The low-cost airline announced that between July 11 and 13, “more than 120 passengers missed their flights from Porto, Faro, and Lisbon airports due to excessive delays in border control,” caused by a lack of staff.
Simultaneously, “passengers arriving in Portugal faced waiting times of up to 90 minutes at passport control,” the Irish airline noted, emphasizing that these “are not isolated incidents” and urging that the “Portuguese Government must urgently address these staffing issues, especially during the summer peak season when passenger volumes are at their highest.”
“If measures are not taken, delays will continue, and more passengers will unjustly miss their flights,” Ryanair warned, calling on the administration led by Luís Montenegro to take “immediate action.”
The airline highlighted that without intervention “delays will persist, and more passengers will unjustly miss their flights.”
Today, parliament approved the creation of the National Unit of Foreigners and Borders (UNEF) within the PSP, with votes in favor from PSD, Chega, IL, and CDS, and abstentions from PS and JPP.
In early June, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, stated that the problems with queues at Lisbon and Faro airports should be resolved within two weeks after the implementation of a new system.
These remarks followed the successive release in previous weeks of images showing long lines of passengers from non-Schengen countries at Faro and Lisbon airports, waiting several hours for immigration control.
