Latest news with #RosaDávila
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
UK tourists rage at 'inhuman' Brexit queues at airport in travel hotspot
An emergency meeting has been called among top Spanish politicians after British travellers found themselves trapped in two-hour queues and "inhuman" conditions at the start of the school holidays, before even making it through passport control. On Monday (May 26), around 500 UK holidaymakers found themselves stuck waiting on the tarmac at Tenerife South Airport for up to 45 minutes, before disembarking to find broken-down escalators and vast lines stretching in and out of the terminal to have their passports checked. At the airport, some travellers reported seeing four officials manning just two passport control booths. As a result, passengers were crammed into a situation described as "claustrophobic" and "third world," reports The Mirror. Lourdes Tourecillas, a local resident who was returning from Bristol, told Canarian Weekly: "Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating." "There were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed," she added. The President of Tenerife's ruling council, Rosa Dávila, has called an emergency meeting in light of the incident, with chaos and long queues becoming a common problem at the busy airport during peak tourism periods. Dávila called the situation "unacceptable", but blamed the situation on the continued failure to provide sufficient staff for border checks ever since the UK left the European Union. She added: "This is a structural issue. We can't continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit." A major issue facing travellers on Monday was the inability of the airport's automated checking systems to process children's passports. This meant families having to queue with kids and baggage for hours in sweltering, lengthy, lines to kick off their holidays. The council's President said she had written to mainland politicians, but received no meaningful response. "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 said. Lope Afonso, Tenerife's Tourism Minister, warned: "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. "Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have adapted their systems since Brexit. Why haven't we?" He also had a warning for summer travellers if Spanish mainland politicians don't take action, saying: "We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead."
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
'Inhuman' queues at Spanish airport force officials into emergency meeting
Tenerife's President has called for an emergency meeting after 'inhuman' queues at the Spanish airport left Brits and other tourists waiting for two hours in a 'third world' situation. 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. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 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.
