PS questions government about long lines at airports and calls for measures

In a question, to which the Lusa news agency had access, addressed through Parliament to the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, the socialists state that they "have been following with deep concern the operational situation at Portuguese airports, in particular at Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon, and at Faro Airport."

According to the Socialist Party (PS) , these airports still face "serious constraints on border control," which generates "long queues that harm thousands of passengers and project a highly negative image of Portugal abroad."

"Unfortunately, what we are experiencing today at the country's main airports is completely at odds with the image of modernity, efficiency, and hospitality that the country has sought to build over decades, with the involvement of public and private agents, international promotion campaigns, and significant investments in the sector," they criticize.

The PS parliamentary group states that the government led by Luís Montenegro "has been in office for more than 16 months" and "has had more than enough time to rigorously plan the implementation of the new airport entry control system."

"It didn't. Even after the system was implemented, the government's response has been marked by improvisation, delays, and inaction. The result is clear to see: long waits, outraged passengers, penalized tour operators, and a deeply damaged international perception," they condemn.

The Socialist Party (PS) therefore wants Castro Almeida to explain to Parliament how he justifies "the demonstrated inability to resolve the constraints at the country's main airports in a timely manner" and wants to know what the identified causes are.

"What is the government's assessment of the impact of these severe operational constraints, particularly at Lisbon and Faro airports, on tourism activity and, above all, on Portugal's external image as a tourist destination? Has any monitoring been carried out in the affected sending countries?" they ask.

The Socialists want the government to announce what measures are planned to "mitigate the damage caused to the country's image" and thus enable confidence in international tourism markets to be restored.

"What concrete measures are planned or already underway to resolve the operational problems at Lisbon and Faro airports? And what is the government's estimated timeframe for their complete resolution?" they also want to know.

The PS also adds in its question that, on June 3, the Minister of Infrastructure "publicly announced that the problems would be resolved within two weeks " and that "more than a month later, reports of significant delays persist."