'Inhuman' queues at Spanish airport force officials into emergency meeting
Top Spanish officials have urgently convened following a debacle that saw British holidaymakers caught in two-hour queues and facing "inhuman" conditions at the onset of the school holidays, all before they could even pass through passport control.
On Monday (May 26), approximately 500 UK tourists were left stranded on the tarmac at Tenerife South Airport for as long as 45 minutes. Upon disembarking, they were greeted by out-of-service escalators and extensive queues snaking through the terminal for passport inspection.
Inside the airport, reports emerged of only four officials operating a mere two passport booths, leading to overcrowded conditions that passengers labelled as "claustrophobic" and reminiscent of "third world" standards.
Lourdes Tourecillas, a local returning from Bristol, recounted to Canarian Weekly the dire situation: "Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating," she said, also noting the absence of toilets and visible distress among the people.
Rosa Dávila, President of Tenerife's governing council, has responded to the incident with an emergency meeting, as such chaos and lengthy queues have become all too familiar scenes at this bustling hub during high tourist seasons, reports the Mirror.
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Dávila has deemed the circumstances "unacceptable" but pointed to the ongoing issue of inadequate staffing for border controls since Britain's departure from the European Union as the root cause.
She added: "This is a structural issue. We can't continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit."
Monday posed a significant challenge for travellers as the airport's automated checking systems failed to process children's passports effectively. Consequently, families were subjected to long queues in the sweltering heat, with their children and luggage in tow, creating a stressful start to their holidays.
The council's President expressed her frustration after reaching out to mainland politicians and getting no substantial reply. "There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail," she stated.
Lope Afonso, Tenerife's Tourism Minister, conveyed his concerns regarding the negative impact on the island's tourism image. "This is the first impression our visitors get. After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination," he remarked.
"Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have adapted their systems since Brexit. Why haven't we?".
A warning was also issued by him for future holiday goers, especially in anticipation of the forthcoming summer rush, underlining the urgency of the situation. "We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead," he cautioned.
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