Travel: Public safety news in Portugal

The Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP) will deploy 360 new officers to Portuguese airports this July to help reduce waiting times for passengers arriving from outside the Schengen area. PSP spokesperson Sérgio Soares stated that these officers are part of a larger group of 560 new recruits currently completing their border guard training.

A Jet2.com Boeing 737-800 carrying 141 passengers from the UK to Gran Canaria made an emergency landing at Gago Coutinho International Airport in Faro this Thursday. The pilot declared an emergency after smoke was reported in the cabin, prompting the activation of the airport's emergency intervention plan. All passengers disembarked safely, and the aircraft is undergoing a technical inspection.

High winds have caused significant disruptions at Madeira International Airport (Aeroporto Internacional da Madeira), with at least ten flights diverted and seven arrivals canceled. The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera or IPMA) has placed the island under a yellow warning (aviso amarelo) for gusts reaching up to 110 km/h in mountainous areas. Several aircraft were forced to divert to the neighboring island of Porto Santo to wait for improved conditions.

The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Emídio de Sousa, confirmed that approximately 700 citizens have returned to Portugal from the Middle East via state-sponsored flights. The repatriation efforts involved aircraft from TAP and the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa) to assist those fleeing the regional conflict. Residents with family in the region should note that additional commercial flights, including from Emirates, continue to bring more citizens home.