Latest news with #passportcontrol
The Sun
02-07-2025
- The Sun
Fights erupt amid Spain travel CHAOS as passport control ‘collapses' at major holiday airport sparking queue mayhem
CHAOS has erupted in Spain after a passport control "collapsed" at a major holiday airport. 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. 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 and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Europe's worst airport for queues named - with waiting times up to five hours
Holidays are supposed to be about switching off and relaxing, but unfortunately the airport might have other ideas. A new study has revealed the European airports where British tourists are most likely to face queues at passport control. According to The Telegraph, Brussels Airport is the hub where British tourists are most likely to hit chaos. Earlier this year, travellers reported having to wait in five-hour queues at passport control, with one passenger telling The Brussels Times: 'After a long flight, it's inhumane to expect us to stand for that long.' In a Tripadvisor review, one passenger, 'Beverly M', wrote: 'Awful experience - passport control is a shambles! So poorly organised - you shouldn't have to wait three hours to get through passport control and then try to look for your luggage. 'Sorry Belgium, but I won't be back in your country. The only good thing is that there are airport staff giving out bottles of water.' Another traveller, 'UOI', said: 'Huge bottleneck in Brussels Airport. The line for customs/immigration has taken one hour and 47 minutes and still counting!' But things could be looking up in Brussels ahead of the summer as Belgium's Interior Minister recently announced the country is introducing a 'summer plan' to reduce queues at border control. According to The Telegraph, Brussels Airport is the worst hub for chaos at passport control Bernard Quintin said that additional staff would be brought in to work on passport control, in good news for any Brits heading to Brussels this summer. The Telegraph reports that Paris is Europe's next worst offender for lengthy queues at passport control. Charles de Gaulle Airport has faced issues with a shortage of border guards which has led to chaotic queues at passport control. Problems are reportedly worse around major events such as last year's Paris Olympics and the 2023 Rugby World Cup. After Brussels and Paris, The Telegraph reports that Spain and Portugal's airports are often particularly bad for passport queues. As both European destinations are popular spots with British tourists, queues at the border have become much more chaotic since Brexit. In May, British travellers became trapped at an overcrowded passport control in Tenerife. The nightmare unfolded after several UK flights arrived in quick succession and caused severe delays. Passengers said people were 'visibly distressed' while one described the airport's conditions as 'inhumane'. Spanish authorities promised to increase the number of border guards at the airport after the incident so conditions may have improved ahead of the summer. And British tourists could fall foul of travel chaos before they've even left the UK. A new study has found that Southampton is the UK's worst airport for cancelling flights, with Belfast, London City, Aberdeen and Glasgow close behind.
The Independent
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
E-gates to grant Britons quick entry to European hotspot
Faro Airport in Portugal has begun rolling out e-gate access for British arrivals, according to the UK Government. Downing Street anticipates that millions of British holidaymakers will benefit from this technology, following an agreement between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and EU leaders last month. Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said that the deal "makes life easier for holidaymakers." The Prime Minister's spokesman noted that this was a significant development for British holidaymakers, as Faro Airport is a popular destination. Since Brexit, UK nationals have been unable to use e-gates in most Schengen area countries, leading to potential delays at passport control.
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Airport chaos forces British families to 'lift children on to shoulders to stop them suffocating' amid 'inhuman' conditions as hundreds are trapped in overcrowded passport control in Tenerife
Airport chaos forced British families to 'lift children onto their shoulders to stop them suffocating' after hundreds of holidaymakers were trapped in an overcrowded passport control in Tenerife. Officials called an emergency meeting after passengers raged at the 'inhumane' conditions that saw them packed together 'like cattle' as they waited in line on Monday. The nightmare unfolded after several UK flights arrived in quick succession and caused severe delays. More than 500 people were left waiting for over two hours in sweltering conditions, as just two passport control booths staffed by four officers attempted to process the entire crowd, according to Canarian Weekly. Lourdes Torrecillas, a Tenerife resident returning from Bristol, described the situation as 'claustrophobic' and 'third world'. She told local media that passengers were made to wait 45 minutes on the plane before being allowed to disembark to passport control, only to find the airport's escalators out of service. 'Families with babies and elderly passengers had to carry their children and luggage through a packed terminal. 'Once inside, we couldn't move our arms, we could barely breathe, and people were sweating. Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating,' she said. 'There were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed.' Ms Torrecillas, who frequently travels to the UK, said the conditions were unacceptable, adding: 'This was an inhumane wait. 'These are people who've paid to enjoy a few days of sunshine, they shouldn't be treated like cattle.' She also raised concerns about the lack of medical support, claiming that airport staff told her similar scenes occur nearly every night - with passengers regularly fainting or experiencing serious health problems while waiting. The President of Tenerife's ruling council, Rosa Dávila, has called an emergency meeting following the incident, with chaos often ensuing during peak tourism periods. Dávila called the situation 'unacceptable' but blamed it on the continued failure to provide sufficient staff for border checks ever since the UK left the European Union. She added: 'This is a structural issue. We can't continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit.' A major issue facing travellers on Monday was the inability of the airport's automated checking systems to check children's passports. This lead to families having to queue with children and baggage for hours before they could being their holidays. Dávila said she had written to mainland politicians, but received no satisfactory response. 'There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail,' she said. Lope Afonso, Tenerife's Tourism Minister, warned: 'This is the first impression our visitors get. After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination,' he said. 'Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have adapted their systems since Brexit. Why haven't we?' He also had a warning for summer travellers, if mainland politicians don't take action, saying: 'We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead.'
Khaleej Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Pakistanis deported from UAE, GCC nations to have passports cancelled
Passports of Pakistanis deported from the UAE, GCC, Europe and other countries will be cancelled upon arrival in the country. This was announced following a meeting of Pakistan's Ministry of Interior, chaired by federal interior minister Mohsin Naqvi. Government-owned news channel PTV reported that the meeting was held in the capital Islamabad where it was decided that the first information report (FIR) will be lodged against people deported from other countries and their passports will also be cancelled. Moreover, their names will also be placed on the passport control list for five years, putting restrictions on them to travel abroad. This decision was taken after some countries reported nationals of the South Asian country engaging in activities that contravened the resident country's laws and regulations. Thousands of people were deported from the Gulf and European countries — including over 5,000 from Saudi Arabia — for illegal stays and their involvement in beggary. A committee has been formed at the federal level which will look into the affairs. There are millions of Pakistanis living and working in foreign countries, mainly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Europe, the US, Australia, Malaysia and others. Last week, Pakistani citizens in UAE were warned about fraudulent employment schemes abroad. The missions in the UAE asked job seekers to exercise caution when applying to online job advertisements offered abroad. In an interview with Khaleej Times last year, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Pakistan's ambassador to the UAE, asked his compatriots to avoid looking for jobs when they come to the UAE on a tourist visa as well as meet the visit visa requirements, such as hotel accommodation, return tickets, and sufficient funds.
