New 9pm to 5am rule in Spanish airports to affect Irish tourists
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Irish holidaymakers are set for a big shake-up as they encounter new nighttime rules at Spanish airports, with Madrid airport taking action against the growing issue of individuals sleeping rough within its facilities. Approximately 400 people have taken to overnighting at the major European hub, which has led to a response from Madrid-Barajas Airport.
The airport has taken on a private security company to tackle the problem of homeless people bedding down for the night in its terminals. To curb access during the unsocial hours between 9pm and 5am, AENA, the airport operator, has decided to cut down terminal accessibility and bulk up on security staff in Terminal 4, reports Birmingham Live.
There's now a cap on terminal entry points during these hours; just five accesses for Terminals 1, 2, and 3, plus four for Terminal 4. The clampdown, featuring an extra 22 security officers, aims to improve what Aena tags as "unsafe and unhealthy" conditions.
Addressing the distinct nature of airport operations compared to other public transportation hubs, Israel Vellisca from UGT Madrid's Federation of Mobility and Consumer Services (Fesmc) stated: "This is not a train or metro station with set closure hours."
"Any restriction on access to a public space must be justified and documented," union sources have stressed. The CCOO union section in the airport authority Aena group has raised concerns about: "The serious situation that both workers and airport users have been enduring for months, due to the continued and growing presence of homeless people residing in various parts of the airport facilities, particularly in the passenger terminals and transit areas."
"This is a social problem, not a labour issue," Vellisca highlighted. "Madrid Airport is the first and last image tourists have of Spain. We require a long-term, humane solution that involves public institutions, social organisations, and proper support services."
The union has reported receiving 'multiple complaints from workers from different groups, including cleaning, security, handling, customer service, shops, and catering, alleging unsanitary conditions, persistent smells, the use of restrooms as overnight areas, accumulation of belongings, occasional aggression, and a lack of effective intervention by the competent authorities.'
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