Fights erupt amid Spain travel CHAOS as passport control ‘collapses' at major holiday airport sparking queue mayhem
Holidaymakers were seen fighting after endless passenger queues formed at Madrid-Barajas Airport due to overcrowding.
1
Hundreds of passengers are understood to have missed their flights due to longer wait times.
Spanish Civil Guard were forced to take charge after passengers engaged in minor scuffles.
One traveller told a local media outlet that chaos erupted after the passport control at T4 of the airport "was too slow" to clear out passengers, which led to overcrowding.
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
I discovered Comporta years ago - here is my insider guide to the coolest corner of Portugal
I first discovered Comporta nearly 10 years ago. An unspoilt beach area just over an hour's drive from Lisbon, this was where the smart set from the city and in-the-know Europeans had their holiday homes. On the southwest coast, it sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sado River estuary, where cork and pine forests give way to long stretches of powdery white sand (where Madonna apparently went to ride her horses when she lived in Lisbon). It was so chic, it even had its own signature look: Comporta style. Arriving for my first visit in the summer of 2017, I got it. Comporta was a vibe: think boutique, bleached-wood cabanas and no-fuss beachside shacks serving the best giant grilled bass with a side of garlic-soaked razor clams. Brightly coloured throws were unfurled casually between wild dunes, and sundowners were taken in cool kaftans on sunken beach beanbags to chilled-out tunes. I was blown away. This really was an undiscovered gem – but was it the Ibiza of Portugal or its Hamptons? I couldn't decide. Nearly a decade on, that debate has at least been settled. This is now firmly known as the Hamptons of Europe, and it's certainly no longer the secret it once was. While much of the land remains protected and unspoilt (no highrises here, thank you very much), this is where you'll find some of the most expensive real estate in Europe. And the Comporta crowd has spread its wings too, right down to Grândola and Melides – where Christian Louboutin opened his stunning Vermelho boutique hotel a couple of years ago. Stylish eco-resorts are now dotted between the famous beaches, and you'll also find CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club – more than just a golf resort, it's a secluded enclave where George Clooney, Sharon Stone, and Princess Eugenie with her husband Jack Brooksbank, retreat in luxurious privacy. Even Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are rumoured to be scoping out a home here. Along the main beaches – Comporta, Pego and Praia do Carvalhal (my favourite) – the old local-run shacks have been made over into must-go restaurants and monied beach clubs. Sublime Beach Club (the offshoot of one of the area's first boutique hotels, Sublime Comporta), and Lisbon's cool-kid restaurant and club, JNcQUOI, have both established chic sandy outposts here. Even Comporta's signature aesthetic – think pom-pom cushions, macrame hangings, mid-century furniture and oversized rattan lampshades – has made its way into stylish hotels from London to New York to Paris. So yes, this once-secret haven is very much having a moment, and setting the tone for hippy-chic living well beyond its Atlantic shores. Still, I'm happy to report that there are still pockets of quiet magic to be found, faithful to Comporta's original spirit. One of the most special is the Independente Comporta, which has made it its mission to carve out a soulful, cool corner as an antidote to the area's flashier interlopers. The Independente Hotels already has two fantastic properties in central Lisbon – one in a grand old house that once belonged to the Swiss ambassador, now a treasure trove of kooky elegance. The Independente's core ethos is to bring together the sociability of a cool hostel with the laidback luxe of a boutique hotel – with a quirky twist. Think large communal tables where you can meet fellow travellers, and gorgeous eclectic rooms surrounded by work from local artists and artisans, so creativity is always at the heart of all their properties. At Independente Comporta, this essence really comes into its own. The moment you turn through its gates, there's a sense of retreat within a retreat. Surrounded by nature and built around the idea of an 'aldeia' – the Portuguese name for small farming villages – this is the perfect place for families and friends to come together, while also enjoying their own private space. There are 40 rooms (some with interconnecting doors for families) and 34 villas (from studios to five-bedroom super-cool and stylish houses), all with private gardens or patios. There's also a large communal hall – the Casão – used for yoga classes, hangouts, or a work-from-paradise setup for digital nomads. There's a regenerative spa which uses herbs from the Independente's own curated gardens, a large pool, an outdoor bar, and fire pits where guests can gather after dinner, drink in hand, communing under the stars. And so it is here we spent a few dreamy days reconnecting with that original away-from-it-all Comporta spirit. A short drive from the beach (yes, you need a car here – public transport is sporadic at best and taxis are rare and pricey), the Independente still captures the cool, calm oasis Comporta was originally known for. Rooms are beautifully designed, with pieces sourced from local makers who were responsible for Comporta style's origin story. And if you're lucky, you'll get directions to the no-name roadside shop – an Aladdin's cave of boho-chic cushions, hand-painted jugs, and woven rugs and lampshades. When we finally found it, it was so laidback, the shopkeeper was taking a siesta in the back room and we had to wake him up to pay for our haul, picked up for a fraction of what we'd have paid at a high-end interior shop. We dined at the Independente's beautiful restaurant, Maroto – everything locally sourced and cooked by top chef talent from Lisbon – and sipped drinks around the fire pit beneath the Alentejo's starburst sky (top tip: pack mosquito repellent – Comporta's mozzies love the scene as much as the in-crowd). We visited some old favourites too. Sal – long one of the area's best restaurants – has now taken over the old local go-to Deniz's on Carvalhal beach. You can still find Deniz (named after the fisherman-turned-owner) in the village – less pricey and still the local fave – but for a real treat, Sal is unbeatable. Only someone on Mounjaro could find fault with a lunch of enormous grilled bass (picked out fresh and weighted for two, maybe three) served with ice-cold vinho verde on a terrace facing the Atlantic rollers. Delicious. Others head there for a sunset supper with views across the ocean, which will also never disappoint. For our sundowners, we walked to Pego Beach instead, sinking our toes into the cooling sands while sipping mojitos to the chilled-out classics drifting down from the JNcQUOI Beach Club. And in Comporta town itself, my advice would be to skip the big-name restaurants for the local favourite, Cegonha (meaning stork – a local emblem, as they nest on the electricity poles). If you can find better buttery garlic clams than they do here, then please send me the name. Comporta town is also great for shopping. Head to the undercover market in the old stables for homeware and beachwear. With summer 2025 all about boho-chic and crochet-everything, you might need an extra suitcase. Lusa Market, a pop-up at Atlantic Club Comporta, is perfect for oysters and chargrilled sardines on bread, with a live DJ from Thursday to Sunday. And if you fancy a jaunt away from the beach, I'd recommend a visit to Cais Palafítico da Carrasqueira, a small fishing village about 7km from Comporta town. A tangle of wooden walkways and working fisherman huts, it's completely unspoilt – and great for pictures for the 'gram, not to mention picking up oysters that have come straight from the sea. In an increasingly hectic world, it's important to find somewhere that truly values peace and quiet in nature. As we packed up the car to head back to the city for our flight home, I realised that's what Independente Comporta does best: it has preserved the true soul and chilled-out vibe of Comporta. This isn't Portugal's Ibiza or its Hamptons. It's Comporta style that has finally come of age and into its own.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Hundreds of flights cancelled across Europe this week – with up to 36,000 Brits affected
FLIGHT cancellations across Europe are set to affect thousands of Brits heading abroad this week. Airlines including easyJet, Ryanair and Air France have been forced to cancel flights today and tomorrow due to French ATC strikes over working conditions and pay. 3 This means that as many as 200 flights to and from the UK will be impacted each day on July 3 and July 4, according to AirAdvisor. This works out to as many as 36,000 Brits. Ryanair has cancelled 170 flights in total, which is expected to disrupt over 30,000 passengers. The airline has also claimed that the strikes in France will disrupt passengers flying over French airspace too, en route to other destinations such as Greece and Spain. Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary said: "Once again European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike. "It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike. "It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays." In comparison, easyJet has been forced to cancel 22 UK touching flights today and 38, so far, for tomorrow. Across Europe the airline has made 124 cancellations in total for today and 150 so far, for tomorrow. An easyJet spokesperson said: "As required by the French authorities (DGAC) easyJet proactively cancelled some flights in advance and customers were contacted directly with options to transfer to another flight for free or a refund. "While this is outside of our control, we will do all we can to minimise the impact of the strike action. Flight cancelled or delayed? Top tips for handling travel disruptions "On behalf of our passengers we are extremely unhappy with the strike action, particularly given the current performance of French ATC which has been the leading cause of airspace delays in Europe this summer. "Long term solutions must be found for our customers and crew who suffer repeated disruption." The strike, which is being led by UNSA-INCA and SNCTA unions, will involve 60-70 per cent of ATCs. Anton Radchenko, aviation expert and founder of AirAdvisor explained that the strikes will also cause the airspace to narrow, and as a result the backlog will spread quickly to hubs like Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester. He said: "What many travellers underestimate is how vulnerable short-haul schedules are to even minor disruptions. 3 "Unlike long-haul routes, where airlines often have contingency buffers, short-haul flights operate on tight rotations." For example, one delay in Lyon or Marseille could lead to a ripple effect that cancels a Stansted departure six hours later. He continued: "My top advice is to travel with full situational awareness. "If your itinerary connects through France or overflies its airspace, even to destinations like Italy or Spain, check with your airline daily, not just the night before. "Take screenshots of every notification, keep every receipt, and escalate immediately if your flight is cancelled. "Under EU261, you're owed assistance even if you're not owed financial compensation, but you have to know how to ask." New EU rules also mean Brits will now get less compensation if their flight is delayed. Plus, Ryanair has warned of record flight delays this summer. 3
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Plane struggles to land and bounces off runway at Cristiano Ronaldo Airport
A Marabu Airlines A320 flight bounced off the runway while landing at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in Madeira on Monday. Footage showed the aircraft violently swaying as it touched down, battling strong and unpredictable winds. The airport is known for its challenging conditions, including steep cliffs and difficult wind patterns, making it one of the most demanding for pilots. The incident occurred during severe weather that led to the cancellation of 49 flights, both arriving and departing, on the island. Watch the video in full above.
