Biometrics Suspended in National Airports

In Search of Hope – by Sam Gannon

Seconded to the parish of Tililngdon, the Reverend Dolores has been presented with a challenge.

She’s living in an antiquated house and she’s cold. Furthermore, her new Bishop, Bishop Alice does not approve of ‘showgirls in dog collars.’

Determined to prove the Bishop wrong, she sets about warming her house – who cares if it smells of horse! There is the crochet club, jumble sale, and soup run to organise. And this year, the church bells will ring, no matter what threats are made. Even more so, the newly formed choir will spread a little joy this Christmas, even though they can’t sing – yet! And with a little help from Phil, her bassist, this year could be full of magic.

However, she has a fight on her hands as the townies out in Knob Hill – she must stop calling it that, are trying to stop her from ringing her bells. When Krystal with a K decides to do some volunteer work, Dolores sets out to see just how committed she really is.

Up to her ears in granny squares and squawking choristers, Dolores is revving up for Christmas, yet a deeper darker secret is beginning to emerge!

A secret that could blow the whole parish apart and put Dolores in danger.

(available from Amazon)

Due to undesirable waiting times, the collection of biometric data at the departure terminals of Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports was suspended again today, states a PSP spokesperson.

“Today, there are a large number of people leaving the Schengen Area through the airports of Lisbon, Porto, and Faro, and the PSP is making every effort to keep waiting times within reasonable limits, without neglecting the security of our borders,” said Intendant Sérgio Soares.

On Saturday, the collection of biometric data had already been suspended during the morning to prevent passengers from missing their flights due to long queues.

For the same reasons, said Intendant Sérgio Soares, the collection of biometrics at departures from Humberto Delgado (Lisbon), Francisco Sá Carneiro (Porto), and Gago Coutinho (Faro) Airports was interrupted today from the beginning of this morning’s operation to prevent people from missing their flights.”

The official stressed that the control of departures is being done safely, in the usual model and complying with the defined protocols, but without the collection of biometrics, which should be resumed as soon as the reference parameters are reached.

As for arrivals, the situation is calm at the moment, with biometric collection, which is also being carried out on departures from the remaining airports, as part of the new European border control system for non-EU citizens that came into full force on Friday throughout the European Union.

According to Sérgio Soares, the PSP is at maximum capacity, occupying all available border posts at airports.

The European Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated system of the European Union that replaces the stamp in the passport with the digital registration of biometric data (photo and fingerprints) for non-European Union citizens and has been implemented in the EU in a phased manner since October 2025, and is now fully operational.

This new system went into operation on the 12th of October in Portugal and the other countries of the Schengen area, and, since then, waiting times at air borders have worsened, especially at Lisbon airport, with passengers sometimes having to wait several hours.

The introduction on the 10th of December at Portuguese airports of the second phase of the EES, which consists of the collection of biometric data, caused even more constraints at Lisbon airport.

At the end of December, the Government announced contingency measures at Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon to reduce waiting times in the arrivals area, namely the suspension of the EES for three months, which has since resumed operations.

Please note that the system is in force at Madeira International Airport.

Samantha Gannon

info at madeira-weekly.com