“These constraints are causing unnecessary delays of up to 2.5 hours for passengers – many of whom are travelling with young children,” said a statement from the company.
“In the last two weeks alone (from 26 May to 9 June), more than 270 passengers travelling from Faro, Lisbon or Porto airports have missed their flights due to excessive delays at border control caused by staff shortages. This situation is completely unacceptable and the new Government must take urgent action to ensure that border control at Portuguese airports is adequately resourced, especially during the morning peak, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and more passengers unfairly missing their flights”.
Ryanair’s Chief Operating Officer, Neal McMahon, said: “It is unacceptable that passengers – many of whom are travelling with young children – are experiencing delays of up to 2.5 hours at border control at Faro, Lisbon and Porto airports due to staff shortages. In the last two weeks alone, more than 270 passengers have missed their flights simply because the airport operator, ANA, failed to ensure there were enough staff to manage border control at these airports – some of the main ones in Portugal. This situation is unsustainable and will only get worse with increased traffic as we head into the peak summer season.
“Ryanair calls on the new Government to urgently intervene and address the staff shortages at border control at Faro, Lisbon and Porto airports to ensure that Portuguese families do not have to endure 2.5-hour queues just to start their well-earned holidays.”
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Hopefully something will be done to ease the awful experiences people are having at Faro. Just one week ago I waited 1:5hrs to get to the front of the immigration queue there was very old people and children really suffering in an airless stuffy arrivals. The EU desks were empty border control sat twiddling thumbs…why couldn’t they help us ? I’m a resident and very much felt we were not wanted in Portugal such was the abysmal welcome.
By Jenny coldwell from Algarve on 09 Jun 2025, 20:00
Perhaps those who have residency in Portugal could go through the EU lines and that would ease the numbers in the non EU lines? After all, we've been thoroughly vetted or we wouldn't have received residency.
By Dotty Hopkins from Algarve on 10 Jun 2025, 09:40
The tourist economy is the heartbeat of the Algarve, repeat business will be based on how much people have enjoyed their time here, if you are coming for a few days or even a week and experience these horrendous delays in that environment and then some of the customs officers, either over stressed or naturally obnoxious, give you an unfriendly welcome then this will stick in the memory. As always the Portuguese are slow on the uptake when it comes to efficient organisation
Recruiting personnel from the tourist sector would be a good start. Hopefully the eagles will help the issue.
By Chris Samples from Algarve on 10 Jun 2025, 10:53
Even in South Africa where it can be ridiculous at passport control I've never in 50 years travelling had to endure 2½ hours in a queue. There were 500 people in front of me and around 300 behind me. Someone is purposefully playing politics here. Shame on such utter malfeasance.
By Ken from Other on 10 Jun 2025, 11:23
I can understand the concern of airlines, as they are the ones carrying the government imposed cost for delays. So, if a delay is the government's fault, will the government step up to pay the fines?
By Paulo from Algarve on 10 Jun 2025, 12:43
RyanAir does tend to leave late and arrive late and keep passengers waiting as they turn their aircraft as passengers wait on the tarmac or in the hallways, perhaps there is a way they can allow more time between flights to make an enjoyable flight for their passengers so they are not so weary when they arrive. Perhaps there is a fee they can charge and pay to the border staff so that they directly fund the arrivals of their aircraft when they land on time. There is nothing you can do about weather but I see the aircraft arrive as we are meant to be boarding. I know it is a low cost airline but perhaps they need to charge more to make everyone comfortable and also arrange with the airports directly to make sure the staff at the airport is compensated for their passengers arrival. I know luftansa sponsored and created their own terminal in Munich many years ago to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable flight experience for their guests. I think maybe it's time to rethink about overtourism and the affects on the host country and expectations that everyone "deserves" a holiday in a host country. We should be happy to be a guest and hope the airlines can do the best to be gracious to their customers, staff and the host airports.
By VeTravel from Algarve on 10 Jun 2025, 13:35
My wife and I missed our flights BA from Lisbon to Heathrow in December, because it took well over an hour to get through passport control. BA had no sympathy. It cost £800 to buy new tickets. No apology. No compensation.
By Trevor Roberts from Algarve on 10 Jun 2025, 13:55
100%...MY HUSBAND AND I HAD TO PAY 600 EURO TO FLY HOME LAST WEEK BECAUSE A PASSPORT CONTROL OFFICER REFUSED TO SCAN OUR PASSPORT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS BOARDING ON THE OTHER SIDE GATE 211...HE WAS ARROGANT DISREPECTFUL.. AND DID NOT GIVE A S...T THAT WE WOULD MISS OUR FLIGHT ALSO RYAN AIR STAFF AT GATE did nothing to help us.....who will reimburse us our 600 euro ......no one ....WE ARE STILL LIVID.....
By Marian o neill from Other on 10 Jun 2025, 14:07
Rzanair is absolutely right. The situation of non/EU travelers is a disaster caused by the negligence of the Portuguese government. Portugal only wants to make money from tourists and immigrants, but doesn't want to spend any money. It's a shame.
By Tom from Lisbon on 10 Jun 2025, 15:59
As a regular visitor to the Algarve where family have property there, the shambles that is Faro needs addressing - sometimes it can be faster to fly into Lisboa, rent a car and drive to the Algarve than with all the messing in Faro. I remember when the airport was being upgraded thinking that all the upheaval would worth it, it has regressed.
By Kev Haworth from UK on 12 Jun 2025, 20:15
Hard to blame an individual airline for the problems caused by understaffing immigration. You sound like you have an ace to grind with Ryanair and are just looking for any news story that mentions Ryanair to grind your axe.
No airline should be required to fund non-citizen immigration controls. Those non-citizens are tourists spending lots of foreign money in Portugal adding Portugal's GDP. That increased GDP needs to be at least partially reinvested into immigration controls in airports to further increase tourism by making visiting (and leaving) Portugal bearable.
By Broan from Other on 12 Jun 2025, 21:56
We arrived in Lisbon at 1100am on a Thursday. We waited in the Customs line for 3 full hours along with hundreds of travelers. No water, no air flow. We missed our train connection and cannot get a refund for the train ticket. Had to buy new train tickets.
By Jennifer Kearney from USA on 12 Jun 2025, 23:30
For UK residents living in the Eastern Algarve fly into Seville which can often be cheaper. The Spanish border control have their act together there so you quickly get through passport control and an Uber to Olhão costs c. €100.
By Mark Barber from Algarve on 13 Jun 2025, 07:53