US Embassy issues warning about waiting times at Lisbon airport

The US Embassy in Portugal has published a warning on its website advising of longer waiting times at Portela Airport during the festive season, which for Americans begins with Thanksgiving and continues through Christmas and New Year. It therefore advises passengers to be at check-in at least three hours before their flight.

‘Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon is currently experiencing longer than usual waiting times, especially during peak hours,’ said the warning published on Tuesday. ‘Travellers are strongly advised to allow extra time for check-in, security screening and passport control during the festive season,’ it added.

The embassy advises passengers to arrive at the airport ‘at least 3 hours before the scheduled departure time’, warning that ‘passport control may take longer than expected, which could cause delays and result in missing your flight’.

It also recommends using electronic kiosks (e-gates) to speed up passport control, except when travelling with children, in which case you must use the normal queue. It also warns travellers who intend to use the Tax-Free counter to allow for additional time, ‘as long queues are common’. It advises travellers to regularly check airline announcements and airport updates.

Humberto Delgado Airport has been experiencing long waiting times at passport control, which have worsened with the entry into operation of the Schengen Area Entry and Exit System (EES) on 12 October, which replaced manual passport stamps with centralised electronic records, including biometric data (fingerprints and facial photographs).

This problem was acknowledged by the government in an order published at the end of last month, which created a special team to respond to the difficult situation at Lisbon airport, but also at Faro airport.

In the decree, the Executive states that ‘there have been significant constraints in the management of passenger queues in the departure and arrival areas, particularly at Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon (AHD) and Gago Coutinho International Airport in Faro (AGC), with an impact on passenger comfort and safety and on the country’s image and economy’.

The tourism industry has also highlighted the negative impact of the problems at the airport. Last month, the Portuguese Tourism Confederation (CTP) issued a statement protesting against the ‘chaos’ at Lisbon Airport and demanding government action. ‘The external image of national tourism and the country has been greatly affected in recent weeks due to the long queues and delays at Lisbon Airport, which have been recurring since May. This situation cannot continue!!!’, said the CTP.

The government has set up a special team for the integrated management of passenger flows, which has been in place at Humberto Delgado Airport since the end of October.

This task force was tasked with monitoring, ‘in real time’, waiting times and critical congestion points at Humberto Delgado, and continuously forecasting and analysing passenger flow patterns and possible operational constraints on a daily basis. In periods of pressure at the border, it will have to ‘activate contingency plans and reinforce resources’.

The order also provided for a reinforcement of resources, with an increase in the number of staff assigned to border control, ‘ensuring the optimisation of their shifts and duty rosters’. The plan to install more electronic booths and kiosks would also be implemented as a matter of urgency.