Airport. Delays and passengers stranded on the plane

The wait for those arriving at Lisbon Airport from countries outside the Schengen zone is longer than expected this Sunday, May 11. The confirmation was given by ANA to Observador, and is due to “technical intervention in the computer systems by the entity responsible for border control”.

According to an official source, “the situation is expected to start improving” this afternoon, while reports continue to emerge of people being held inside the plane and passport control machines not working.

Speaking to Lusa, a source from the PSP said that the normal movement of travellers has now been guaranteed. The same source stated that at 12:15 pm, there were “constraints at the border posts, due to a momentary breakdown in the Rapid Kiosks, which led to crowds of people at the site”. According to the PSP, some posts were subsequently reactivated, allowing “the normal movement of people who were waiting there”.

To Correio da Manhã , passengers said they were locked inside an Emirates plane for 45 minutes. To Renascença , a man also said he had to wait inside the plane, while a woman said that passengers were informed that there would be a “problem with the immigration program”.

At X, other people complained about the service this Sunday, with photos showing the arrivals area crowded and the passport control machines empty. Also on Saturday, the 1st, there were complaints about the queues and waiting times in the immigration area.

ANA had already published an alert on its Instagram page about three days ago informing about possible delays caused by “technical intervention in the computer systems by the entity responsible for border control”. “Passengers with flights to destinations outside the Schengen area are requested to arrive at the airport well in advance and proceed to border control in a timely manner.”