In statements to Lusa, the president of Algarve Tourism said that the delay in processing the entry of non-EU passengers generates "apprehension" in the sector due to the "impacts it causes on the image of the destination" and the "inconvenience caused to those arriving in the country, at the different national airports".

Need for practical and effective solutions

André Gomes stressed that the system used has had "successive postponements of its entry into operation" over the last two years due to difficulties at airports, and that it is necessary for "practical and effective solutions to emerge, once and for all" so that it works quickly and efficiently.

The computer system “is not working correctly, both from the point of view of reading passports and from the point of view of collecting and storing biometric data,” and “effective improvements” are needed to reduce waiting times at airports, he argued.

“For two years I have been saying that there have to be solutions beyond mere suspension, but at this moment, given the ‘deficit’ of the system, I see no other solution than, effectively, the suspension of the system” until the situation is resolved, he argued.

Worrying situation

The president of the Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve (AMAL), António Miguel Pina, said that the municipalities of the Faro district are looking at the situation with “great concern,” stating that waiting times are increasing because the computer system used does not respond with the necessary speed when there is a high number of passengers to process.

The mayor of Faro also said that it is necessary to explain to the country that the current difficulties do not stem from the transfer of airport controls from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) to the PSP (Public Security Police), "because the number of men and women involved is much greater than what the SEF had previously."

It would be worse with the SEF

António Miguel Pina argued that if the SEF still existed, "the problem would be much worse" and stressed that the delay occurs because "the passenger control system has been updated" and has "incorporated into its databases the databases of the different police forces of the European Union" to ensure "much more effective control" in the Schengen area.

However, "the computer system, the 'hardware', the 'software', does not respond as quickly as it used to, when the control was almost a charade," he pointed out.

Appeals to the Government

"Therefore, there is the possibility of requesting the Government, and the Government requesting the European Union, to reverse the way passenger control is carried out, until the computer system keeps up with the necessary speed," he appealed, acknowledging that this situation has a negative impact on the region's image.

The president of the Algarve Hotels and Tourism Enterprises Association (AHETA) also views the difficulties experienced by passengers from outside the European Union with "great concern," but opined that, in recent days, the situation "has improved considerably, with only one or two peaks of high influx."

Waiting times

Hélder Martins said that, on May 20, he was at Faro airport and "the waiting time was 15 minutes," but acknowledged "the damage that has already been done" to the image of the country and the Algarve, with passengers having to endure "long queues and long waits."

"Therefore, our opinion, which we conveyed to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Internal Administration, and the Secretary of State for Tourism, is that, while the system is not perfect, we should suspend it until the problem is resolved," he proposed.