HE Ministry of Interior devised a plan reinforcement of police officers at major airports in Spain Prior to Holy Week and in recent weeks, one of the busiest air traffic periods in the Spanish market due to the holidays, Spanish airlines have publicly complained about possible problems with queues and long waiting times at passport control at some points. air hubs.
The National Police will allocate 151 additional representatives every day Management of passport control for up to 426 police officers per day at six airports with the busiest international flight traffic, 55% more than regular staffOfficial sources from the Ministry of the Interior, as confirmed by EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA from the Prensa Ibérica group.
General Commissioner for Immigration and Borders and different air border posts at local level, Increasing the number of policecarrying out border control duties with extraordinary services six years old airports.
The usual police force at Madrid-Barajas airport will increase by 67%; 41% in Barcelona-El Prat; There will be 77% more police officers in Malaga every day; 26% more in Alicante; additional 35% in Palma de Mallorca; And according to the data, reinforcements in South Tenerife will mean 78% more agents during Holy Week.
airline complaints
In recent weeks, airlines have reported problems with queues at passport control, particularly at Madrid-Barajas airport, the largest of the Aena network. A situation that occurred intermittently during the high seasons of summer and Easter last year and is now occurring ahead of expected traffic peaks for this year, with pre-pandemic passenger numbers likely to increase, according to airlines. fully healed.
This Airlines Association (ALA), The employers’ association, which brings together 60 airlines operating in the Spanish market, complained about the lack of police officers at Madrid airport to check on non-EU passengers; and other Spanish cities where companies are concentrated in Madrid.
Some complaints from airlines two weeks ago Frontal conflict with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, condemning the “repeated hoax” that airlines spread before peak seasons to hide their own lack of ground staff, and claiming to have increased the number of police officers stationed in Barajas by 25% last year to permanently check on passengers. department under command Fernando Grande-Marlaska It clearly blames airlines for possible queuing issues and ensures that it has not received any complaints from passengers in recent weeks due to pending or missing connecting flights in Barajas.
Airline employers announced that in just two weeks, more than 4,500 passengers lost their connecting flights due to waiting, at Barajas’s Terminal 4, the busiest and where companies such as Iberia and Vueling operate. Airlines have repeatedly demanded that the Government deploy more police officers to participate in document control duties.
peace of Aena
A message of calm was sent from Aena, the operator and main shareholder of Spanish airports, the State with 51%, regarding possible queues or long waits at key tourist destinations during Easter and summer holidays. He was sentenced to “I’m very calm” head aenaMaurice Lucena, This week. “Both Aena and Police are ready to manage traffic properly.”
The manager pointed out that “some sort of media incident happens every year” regarding problems at passport controls, but stressed that “the police put all the troops needed at the highest point of the passenger flow” and that Aena did not come in. “not a single claim” from passengers in recent weeks that they missed a flight due to queues at check-ins.