Passengers arriving at Madeira International Airport, Cristiano Ronaldo, on Monday morning (20th of July) faced lengthy delays at passport control after travellers reported that only one passport control booth was operating despite the arrival of multiple flights from the United Kingdom.
Complaints received by DIÁRIO described long queues forming in the border control area, with passengers facing extended waiting times.
“We are stuck in a long queue due to passport control. Out of the ten control booths, only one is operational,” one passenger told the newspaper while waiting at the airport on Monday morning.
By 10:00 am, six flights from the United Kingdom had already arrived in Madeira, placing additional pressure on the passport control facilities.
The incident follows a similar episode reported recently by DIÁRIO, when lengthy queues at passport control were reported, with waiting lines extending beyond the terminal building.
Monday’s delays are likely to reignite concerns over border staffing at Madeira Airport, particularly during the busy summer season when several UK flights can arrive within a relatively short period. Travellers have previously complained that insufficient staffing at passport control creates unnecessary delays for passengers arriving from non-Schengen countries.
While no official explanation for Monday’s delays had been provided at the time of writing, the recurrence of lengthy queues is likely to prompt fresh questions over whether staffing levels at passport control are keeping pace with the growing number of international arrivals to Madeira during the peak tourist season.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
Photo: DN
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