Latest news and stories about airport delays in infrastructure in Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
The Portuguese government has acknowledged IT-related constraints affecting border control at Lisbon airport, resulting in missing passenger data and delays, though officials maintain national security remains intact.
New border control systems are causing significant delays at major Portuguese airports, prompting political scrutiny over resource shortages, particularly in Ponta Delgada.
Biometric data collection at major Portuguese airports has been suspended again due to excessive passenger wait times, with authorities implementing an automatic suspension protocol when queues exceed reference limits.
The AirAdvisor ranking is led by Manchester airport, with a delay rate of 6.16%. In Porto, it is 5.31%. Lisbon has the highest delay rate, but shorter waiting times.
Airports Council International warns that the situation - which was already serious in Lisbon - will worsen in the peak season months
We are all in a rush: road accident data shows that a third of road deaths and 64% of traffic offences are caused by speeding. We are constantly distracted by our phones, multitasking in meetings, and unable to focus on a single task. This lack of presence is particularly visible in airports, such as Lisbon, where long queues and stress lead to a breakdown in social behaviour. As José Saramago described in 'Blindness', it is in times of crisis that people's true character is revealed. Unfortunately, we are seeing lower tolerance, increased aggression, and a decline in basic manners, all in the name of a senseless rush. Despite the global anxieties of war and economic pressure, it is precisely now that we must cultivate empathy, generosity, and good manners to remain united and continue to evolve as a society.
The new electronic border system in Portugal has faced queues, with the Public Security Police (PSP) monitoring the situation closely. Superintendent Sérgio Soares explained that when wait times exceed 40 minutes, officers temporarily stop collecting photos and fingerprints to prevent excessive delays, though the system remains active. Similar issues have been reported across several European airports, including in Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, and the Netherlands, leading to missed flights. Airlines are not held responsible for these delays, leaving passengers to file complaints with airport authorities or the Civil Aviation Authority.
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.
The new digital system at national airports continues to cause problems. In recent days, dozens of passengers have missed flights due to failures in the kiosks of the new entry and exit system for the Schengen area, which are unable to handle the high number of users. There are reports of malfunctions and delays at border control, and the PSP confirms that, at times, the collection of biometric data is even being suspended.
The official stressed that departure checks are being carried out safely, following the usual model and complying with established protocols, but without biometric data collection.
The collection of biometrics at departures in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports was suspended again today due to excessive waiting times for passengers to board, a PSP spokesperson told Lusa.
Biometric data collection at departures in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports was suspended again this Sunday, April 12, due to excessive waiting times for passengers. PSP spokesperson Superintendent Sérgio Soares stated that the measure aims to prevent passengers from missing flights while maintaining border security. The suspension affects the Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated EU system that records biometric data for non-EU citizens, which has caused significant delays since its full implementation on Friday.
According to the statement from ANA - Portugal, “today, during the morning period, there were very long wait times at the Lisbon airport border control for both departures and arrivals.”
The collection of biometric data at departures in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports was suspended this morning to prevent passengers from missing their flights due to long queues, according to the PSP. “Given the high waiting times at the airports of Faro, Porto, and Lisbon, namely Gago Coutinho Airport, Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport...”, the police stated.
The measure was taken due to long waiting times, the PSP reports.
The European Union's new border control system—the European Entry/Exit System—which became fully operational on Friday (10/04), has caused massive queues at the airport.
The European Entry/Exit System is now operating at 100% across the EU. In Portugal, the phased implementation worsened waiting times, particularly at Lisbon airport, where contingency measures were adopted.
The new European border control system for non-EU citizens comes fully into force across the European Union today, following a phased implementation period that saw constraints in Portugal, mainly at Lisbon airport.
Lisbon Airport faces a critical test this Easter weekend as authorities implement a contingency plan to manage border control, following recent reports of long queues and chaos for passengers arriving from outside the Schengen Area. The Ministry of Internal Administration has reinforced staff and introduced self-service kiosks to support the gradual rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES), though unions argue that the airport's infrastructure remains structurally inadequate to handle the current volume of non-EU travellers.
Those departing from Lisbon waited an average of 30 minutes. PSP personnel are at maximum capacity during a period of high traffic.
After the European system was reactivated at Lisbon Airport, reports of prolonged wait times continue at certain times of the day for queues outside the Schengen area.
The waiting time at border control at Lisbon airport reached a peak of two hours today for those who arrived around 08:30, but has since decreased to less than an hour, according to the PSP and ANA.
Waiting times at Lisbon Airport's border control peaked at two hours for arrivals around 08:30 on Sunday, March 29, but have since decreased to under an hour, according to the PSP and ANA. Officials confirmed that all available border control posts were fully staffed as part of the Easter contingency plan, which includes additional police reinforcements and a new border control zone. The Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-EU citizens, which had been temporarily suspended due to previous delays, is now fully operational again.
The peak occurred around 8:30 am at Lisbon airport, according to ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal. It added that the waiting time is now under an hour.
The wait at border control at Lisbon airport reached a peak of two hours this Sunday for those who arrived around 08:30, but has since decreased to less than an hour, according to the PSP and ANA. Contacted by the Lusa agency following reports from passengers indicating they had arrived in Lisbon around 06:00...
The peak occurred around 8:30 am
The contingency plan currently in force provides for a reinforcement of 30 police officers with border guard training at the airport.
Home News Long queues return to Portugal Airports Long queues return to Portugal Airports Travellers from around the world are once again facing long lines at immigration in Portugal, especially at Lisbon Airport. The PSP says security comes first.
Passengers from various parts of the world have once again faced long queues in Portugal's immigration areas, especially at Lisbon Airport. The PSP states that security is a priority.
