Latest news with #airportcrisis
The Sun
21-05-2025
- The Sun
Inside crime riddled homeless camps at Spain holiday airports where lifts are BEDROOMS & tourists dodge drugs & fleas
SPAIN'S airports have been overrun by homeless camps, crime and filthy insect infestations - prompting traveller warnings and a public outcry. Some rough sleepers have slept in the terminals for up to seven years, and have seen brazen violence and drug use under the roofs. 10 10 Brits have been warned about dirty and in some cases dangerous conditions after Madrid airport had to be fumigated for bed bugs last week. The capital's airport - full name Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas - is the country's busiest and is where a "hidden city" has been allowed to balloon over the past decade. Urine puddles and crack pipes little the floor, and nomads "off their faces" roam the corridors. An estimated 400 rough sleepers hunker down in dark corners of the airport every night - with Terminal 4 the epicentre of the crisis. Some lay mattresses and cardboard onto the hard floor, while others simply curl up next to the walls surrounded by their belongings. Many of the rough sleepers can also be seen sprawled across the chairs in the waiting areas of the terminal. One shocking video clip even shows that a homeless man has occupied and airport lift and turned it into his bedroom. Malaga airport and Palma, on Mallorca, are also dealing with influxes of rough sleepers - are sparking both humanitarian concerns and health and safety fears. State-owned airport authority Aena announced last week it would limit access to Madrid airport during some parts of the day in order to deter rough sleepers. From Wednesday, only travellers with boarding passes, airport employees and those accompanying ticket holders will be allowed to enter the airport after 9pm. From junkie zombies to pavement camps filled with needles, how America's wokest city got destroyed by a drugs epidemic Homelessness is just one of the problems affecting the airports. Madrid-Barajas had to be fumigated last week after passengers and staff reported being covered in bedbug bites. Footage posted to social media also showed various bugs - including cockroaches, ticks and fleas - crawling around the airport, and workers posted evidence of the bites. Aena was forced to call in the pest-control team to blast several zones including hallways, furniture, and even check-in belts. Airport staff down in Malaga have also reported noticing the itchy red bumps - though officials deny there is a problem. Workers in the southern airport claim to have seen the insects "climbing up the walls" near the departure gates, and report using insect repellent before work. 10 Alongside the dirty conditions, there are reports of looting and violence in Madrid's airport, and this impacts the rough sleepers as well as the staff. Spanish media reported earlier this month that some of the occupants have been found with knives, machetes and other homemade weapons. Crack, other drugs use and even prostitution are also reportedly common. Christian Velez, a 70-year-old French man who claims to have slept there for seven years, said he has seen horrific crime in the so-called "homeless city". He told Spanish news outlet El Espanol: "Recently, another homeless person stole my suitcase with all my belongings, as well as a friend's. Fernando, from Peru, has been living at Terminal 4 for several months. 10 10 He moved to Spain two years ago in search of a better life, but ended up on the streets when work as a removal man dried up and he couldn't afford his rent. He told the Daily Mail: "You definitely have to sleep with one eye open. "There are some bad eggs here who will rob you while you sleep, they usually come out at 3am, they'll take your phone, cigarettes, or whatever they can grab. "Some of them just drink all day and get themselves into a state, they are peeing and going to the toilet where they sleep, off their heads." Spain's Workers' Union [CCOO] is leading calls urgeing Madrid airport to clean up its act on behalf of its members. The organisation says both staff and passengers are being exposed to unsanitary and dangerous conditions. 10 10 The CCOO warned of "the serious situation [...] due to the continued and growing presence of homeless people in various areas [...] especially in the passenger terminals and transit areas". The union said it has received complaints from workers in "cleaning, security, handling, customer service, shops, and catering" roles. And the list of problems caused by homelessness includes "unsanitary conditions, persistent smells, the use of restrooms as overnight areas, accumulation of belongings and occasional aggression", it said. A Madrid city council spokesperson said the city authority had recently called for a meeting with officials from Aena, the regional government of Madrid and several national ministries, but they declined. Lucía Martín said: "Without them, there is no possible solution. She said that the national ministries of transport, interior, inclusion, social rights and health declined to participate in a working group. A day earlier, Aena accused Madrid's city authorities of providing inadequate help and said that the city government's statements about the unfolding situation confirmed its 'dereliction of duty' and abandonment of the airport's homeless individuals. 10
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Inside Spain's 'homeless city' airports crisis: New shocking images - including an elevator turned into a BEDROOM - as men who have lived up to SEVEN YEARS in terminals describe nightly violence and crime
New shocking images of Spain 's 'airport cities' have emerged, as homeless residents who have lived in the travel hub's terminals for up to seven years tell of the crime and violence they have endured. At Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas airport in the Spanish capital, a 'hidden city' of the homeless has been allowed to balloon over the past 10 years. Brits have been warned over recent reports of alleged violence, drug use and insect infestations as the terminals have become overrun by the estimated 400 rough sleepers living at the airport. Last week, pictures and footage taken by MailOnline showed dozens of men and women sprawled out on the floor of Terminal 4, the epicentre of the crisis. In the latest set of images released of the airport crisis, the travel hub's dwellers are shown sprawled out in mattresses down the airport's corridors, with some seen perched up in spots next to toilet entrances and behind flight displays. One shocking video shows a rough sleeper lying in a make-shift bed inside a lift. The bizarre clip shows the moment the elevator's doors open to reveal the unidentified man sleeping on a mattress inside. Another image shows where a homeless person has set up camp with their dog. A cardboard sign reads: 'Help me please.' Suitcases and an airport trolly can be seen scattered around his sleeping arrangements. Other images shared in recent days reveal insect infestations that have plagued Madrid's airport. This month, state-owned airport authority Aena was forced to fumigate several zones amid fears of a bed bug outbreak. One video shared to social platform X shows clips of different bugs spotted at the airport, including cockroaches, bed-bugs, and ticks. Images also show multiple red insect bites on the arms of airport staff. It comes as Aena announced last week that it would start to limit access to Madrid's airport during some parts of the day as a preventative measure to stop more homeless people from sleeping in its terminals. From today, only travellers with boarding passes, airport employees and those accompanying someone with a ticket will be allowed to enter the airport from 9pm. Madrid-Barajas is the largest airport in Spain and manages more than 65 million passengers each year, including hundreds of thousands of Brits. Some of the airport's residents have told of the horrific conditions they are subjected to while living in its terminals. Christian Velez, a 70-year-old French man who says he has been living in the Madrid airport for seven years, said he has witnessed horrific crime in the so-called 'homeless city.' 'Recently, another homeless person stole my suitcase with all my belongings, as well as a friend's,' he told Spanish news outlet El Espanol. In a separate interview with local broadcaster TeleMadrid, Mr Velez said he has to 'sleep with one eye open' because of the high levels of theft among the airport's community. 'You have to be very careful here,' he said. A former DJ who has been sleeping rough in Madrid-Barajas airport for nearly three has also recounted his experience living in the Spanish capital's 'hidden city.' 'Many of us are suffering in silence,' he said in an emotional interview with broadcaster Antena 3, which has since gone viral in Spain. He described feeling like a 'wild animal' living in the airport, but said that he no longer feels fear because he is used to the frequent levels of crime and violence. 'I have been robbed, I've been assaulted,' he told cameras. 'You are constantly trying to day, every minute.' Spanish media reported earlier this month that some of the occupants have been found carrying knives, machetes and other homemade weapons, while crack and other drug use - and even prostitution - are reportedly common. Terminal 4 is where the majority of the homeless live after they were relocated there by the authorities, having previously been spread across all of the airport's four terminals. Fernando, from Peru, has been living at Terminal 4 for several months. He moved to Spain two years ago in search of a better life, but ended up on the streets when work as a removal man dried up and he couldn't afford his rent. 'You definitely have to sleep with one eye open,' he told MailOnline last week while puffing on a cigarette just outside the arrivals hall. 'There are some bad eggs here who will rob you while you sleep, they usually come out at 3am, they'll take your phone, cigarettes, or whatever they can grab.' Fernando insisted 'we are not all bad', but admitted there were a 'bad few' who are creating negative media attention. A person sleeps on the floor of Terminal 4 at Adolfo Suárez-Madrid Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, Monday, May 12, 2025 Madrid's city council on Thursday said that it had asked Spain's national government to take charge and come up with a plan to rehabilitate every homeless individual sleeping in the airport He pointed to a puddle of urine on the floor, which he said was not an uncommon sight. 'Some of them just drink all day and get themselves into a state, they are peeing and going to the toilet where they sleep, off their heads,' he said. 'I sleep in the corner, there is a group of us calm South Americans who look after one another, it can get quite dangerous. 'A lot of the people are working for cash during the day in the black economy, then come back with alcohol and get drunk on whiskey and rum. Many have been living here for years. 'The police come every three or four days and check people's papers and ask some of them to leave - they are checking for people who have criminal records or are wanted by police.' Fernando says he does not know what the solution is but knows the airport is a 'life saver' for many as it provides a much safer environment than the streets. He said there are people 'from all over' living here, including Europe. One sleeping occupant was seen wearing a US Army uniform, while another, clearly intoxicated, was shouting gibberish in English. A Spanish occupant was seen covered in bite marks, believed to be from bed bugs. Up to a dozen officers from the National Police were seen checking people's papers along the 'main street' of the 'homeless city', which runs across a hallway by the elevators on the first floor. 'It's not a good time, you don't want to be walking through here,' one officer told MailOnline. Two security workers told this paper that they are 'not allowed' to speak out on the issue, but that if they could 'boy, we could tell you some things.' At night, National Police officers are seen donning face masks while patrolling the areas on three-wheeled segways. Fights between the occupants are rife. One clearly intoxicated occupant was seen shoving a security guard during the night that MailOnline visited the airport. He was swiftly escorted back to his sleeping area. But the airport crisis in Madrid's airport is not an isolated one. The shocking scenario is now being reflected in other Spanish airports - including Malaga and Palma de Mallorca. At Malaga airport, it has been alleged that staff have been bitten by fleas and bed bugs but this has been denied by the authorities. Workers say they have seen the insects 'climbing up the walls' near the departure gates used by millions of Brits. Airport employees speak of being bitten and having to apply insect repellent before going to work. The appeal for urgent action is being led by the CCOO union which has publicly denounced the unsanitary conditions and lack of safety endured by workers at Malaga airport due to the presence of homeless people. For months, a political blame game between officials at different levels of government has meant that the homeless encampments in the airport have largely gone unaddressed. In recent weeks, videos on social media and news reports of the airport's homeless population put a spotlight on the issue. Madrid's city council last week said that it had asked Spain's national government to take charge and come up with a plan to rehabilitate every homeless individual sleeping in the airport. Spanish airports are overseen by AENA, a state-owned publicly listed company. A city council spokesperson said that Madrid's city government had recently called for a meeting with officials from AENA, the regional government of Madrid and several national ministries that declined. 'Without them, there is no possible solution,' said Lucía Martín, a spokesperson for Madrid's city council division of social policies, family and equality. She said that the national ministries of transport, interior, inclusion, social rights and health declined to participate in a working group. A day earlier, AENA accused Madrid's city authorities of providing inadequate help and said that the city government's statements about the unfolding situation confirmed its 'dereliction of duty' and abandonment of the airport's homeless individuals. Madrid city council officials, meanwhile, said that the Spanish capital's social service teams had helped 94 individuals in April with ties to the city, 12 of whom were rehabilitated into municipal shelters, addiction treatment centers or independent living.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
'Homeless villages' in Spain's airports spread to Mallorca and Costa del Sol: Scores of people sleep rough in terminals used by thousands of Brits - with warnings for travellers landing late at night
Urgent action is being demanded as the homelessness situation at a number of popular Spanish holiday airports, including Mallorca and the Costa del Sol, reaches crisis point. At Madrid airport, it's estimated that around 400 people are sleeping rough, with many going out to work in the day and returning each night to sleep. And the shocking scenario is now being reflected elsewhere, both on the mainland and the holiday islands. Malaga and Palma in Mallorca are also dealing with the problem which is said to be causing not only humanitarian issues but safety and health fears too. At Malaga airport, it has even been alleged that staff have been bitten by fleas and bed bugs but this has been denied by the authorities. Workers say they have seen the insects 'climbing up the walls' near the departure gates used by millions of Brits. Airport employees speak of being bitten and having to apply insect repellent before going to work The appeal for urgent action is being led by the CCOO union which has publicly denounced the unsanitary conditions and lack of safety endured by workers at Malaga airport due to the presence of homeless people. The CCOO union section in the airport authority Aena group has warned of 'the serious situation that both workers and airport users have been suffering for months, due to the continued and growing presence of homeless people staying in various areas of the airport facilities, especially in the passenger terminals and transit areas.' The union says that in recent months they have received '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.' The airport technically falls under the administration of Madrid City Council, but the regional government of the Community of Madrid admits it is affected by the ongoing incidents - and is also blaming the national government for 'not doing enough' 'There are some bad eggs here who will rob you while you sleep, they usually come out at 3am, they'll take your phone, cigarettes, or whatever they can grab' And it has warned that 'this poses a risk to occupational health and creates an environment of tension and insecurity that is absolutely incompatible with the normal conduct of business at an international airport.' Whilst accepting homelessness is a deep-seated social problem, the union has demanded that this public company, as the manager of these facilities, assume its responsibility to protect the health and safety of its staff and airport users. The CCOO (City of Workers' Commissions) demands that 'it urgently articulate, in coordination with the competent public administrations, such as the City Council, the Regional Government of Andalusia, and the Government Delegation, effective measures to provide an immediate response to this situation.' Aena has responded that it is in 'permanent and coordinated contact with the local and regional public authorities that have administrative powers in matters of social affairs and who are aware of the situation of the homeless people who spend the night at the airport.' 'Airports are designed and equipped exclusively for passenger traffic and, therefore, are not prepared for people to live there. Local and regional public authorities are aware of this reality and are working to improve the situation of homeless people,' they explained. The group added: 'Aena has implemented all necessary measures to ensure the well-being of passengers and airport workers, within its powers.' At Malaga airport, there are around 70 people sleeping homeless each night, the vast majority in the arrivals hall. 'There have been some tense moments with security and some workers, but nothing like what's happening in Madrid,' explains Antonio González, Secretary of Union Policy and Communications for the UGT (General Union of Workers' Unions). 'Things get a bit complicated between 2am and 5am in the morning, when the last flights arrive. Troubled and repeat offenders are monitored by security personnel and cameras.' Mallorca's main airport, Son Sant Joan in the capital of Mallorca is also reporting a substantial increase in homeless people living both inside the terminal and in the car-park. Private security officers have been brought in to try and contain them in groups away from the main arrival and departure section and some of the doors are being locked at night. There have been reports of trouble and thefts from local shops inside the airport. Some of the homeless people have been subsequently evicted. In some cases, matters have escalated, with complaints and restraining orders issued against these homeless people, as reported by airport staff. Over in Madrid-Barajas airport, a 'hidden city' of the homeless has been allowed to balloon over the past 10 years. The number of 'unauthorised occupants' - as they are called by the authorities - at the airport has gone from around 50 to almost 500. While rough sleepers are nothing new at the travel hub, a recent spike in alleged violence and drug use among the community is becoming somewhat of a PR nightmare for tourism bosses, who fear holidaymakers could be put off travelling to the capital city. This month, state-owned airport authority Aena was forced to fumigate several zones amid fears of a bed bug outbreak. Madrid-Barajas is the largest airport in Spain and manages more than 65 million passengers each year, including hundreds of thousands of Brits. But tourists arriving at the airport this week were visibly shocked by what they saw, with one overheard commenting: 'This looks like a disaster zone.' Pictures and footage taken by MailOnline show dozens of men and women sprawled out on the floor of Terminal 4, the epicentre of the crisis. The 'occupants' are seen sleeping on every level of the terminal and in any spot they can find, including next to toilet entrances, behind the flight display screens and at restaurant tables. It is so overwhelming for staff that they are considering filing complaints with the Ministry of Labour, citing the 'more than obvious risk' to their wellbeing, reports Spanish paper El Debate. According to Spanish reports, some of the occupants have been found carrying knives, machetes and other homemade weapons, while crack and other drug use - and even prostitution - are reportedly common. Terminal 4 is where the majority of the homeless live after they were relocated there by the authorities, having previously been spread across all of the airport's four terminals. Fernando, from Peru, has been living at Terminal 4 for several months. He moved to Spain two years ago in search of a better life, but ended up on the streets when work as a removal man dried up and he couldn't afford his rent. 'You definitely have to sleep with one eye open,' he told MailOnline while puffing on a cigarette just outside the arrivals hall. 'There are some bad eggs here who will rob you while you sleep, they usually come out at 3am, they'll take your phone, cigarettes, or whatever they can grab.' Fernando insisted 'we are not all bad', but admitted there were a 'bad few' who are creating negative media attention. He pointed to a puddle of urine on the floor, which he said was not an uncommon sight. 'Some of them just drink all day and get themselves into a state, they are peeing and going to the toilet where they sleep, off their heads,' he said. 'I sleep in the corner, there is a group of us calm South Americans who look after one another, it can get quite dangerous. 'A lot of the people are working for cash during the day in the black economy, then come back with alcohol and get drunk on whiskey and rum. Many have been living here for years. 'The police come every three or four days and check people's papers and ask some of them to leave - they are checking for people who have criminal records or are wanted by police.' Fernando says he does not know what the solution is but knows the airport is a 'life saver' for many as it provides a much safer environment than the streets. He said there are people 'from all over' living here, including Europe. One sleeping occupant was seen wearing a US Army uniform, while another, clearly intoxicated, was shouting gibberish in English. A Spanish occupant was seen covered in bite marks, believed to be from bed bugs. Up to a dozen officers from the National Police were seen checking people's papers along the 'main street' of the 'homeless city', which runs across a hallway by the elevators on the first floor. 'It's not a good time, you don't want to be walking through here,' one officer told MailOnline. Two security workers told this paper that they are 'not allowed' to speak out on the issue, but that if they could 'boy, we could tell you some things.' At night, National Police officers are seen donning face masks while patrolling the areas on three-wheeled segways. Fights between the occupants are rife. One clearly intoxicated occupant was seen shoving a security guard during the night that MailOnline visited the airport. He was swiftly escorted back to his sleeping area. In a statement this week, the UGT trade union demanded 'an urgent, coordinated, and effective response that guarantees both workplace and public safety, as well as dignified care for the affected group.' It read: 'Workers are exposed to dangerous situations in an environment that has not been designed or prepared for this type of problem. 'Travelers themselves, unaware of this situation, are also suffering the consequences, facing an environment of insecurity unbecoming of a key infrastructure for the country.' It blasted authorities for failing to tackle the issue, 'neither Aena, nor the Community of Madrid, nor the Madrid City Council, whose mayor has classified these people as 'political refugees,' it fumed. It said those living at the airport are referred to as 'unauthorised occupants' and are 'people with very diverse profiles: without financial resources, with mental disorders, alcohol or drug addiction problems.' The ASEA trade union has called for a series of bans in public areas of the airport, including 'staying overnight, residing, wandering around, or using passenger rest areas' without flight documentation. But Gaspar Garcia, an NGO worker who has been feeding the homeless at the airport for years, blamed the airport's relocation of the occupants as being behind a surge in incidents. 'The current situation of the homeless at Barajas Airport is tougher than ever,' he told RTVE this week. A trade union has called for a ban of those 'staying overnight, residing, wandering around, or using passenger rest areas' without flight documentation 'Instead of seeking housing or inclusion solutions, they have decided to relocate them to a very specific area - on the first floor of Terminal 4 - without basic conditions: no cleanliness, no security, no opportunity for real rest.' Garcia is head of the Despega project at the Bokatas NGO. He accused several media outlets of 'exploiting' the tensions between the homeless 'to criminalise them.' He also said authorities have been purposely making life for the homeless more difficult in the hopes they will leave the airport. He said: 'Benches and electrical outlets have been removed, sleeping hours have been limited... they've even prohibited us from bringing food from organisations like Bokatas, which was one of the few things they had left. It's a strategy of attrition, to force them to leave the airport without giving them any alternative.' Meanwhile, a blame game continues to engulf the different governing bodies. President of the Madrid region, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, this week warned of an 'international buzz' surrounding the crisis. According to respected Spanish daily El Mundo, the regional government fears airlines and countries like the UK will begin warning tourists about the risks they are exposed to at Barajas Airport. Laura Martinez Cerro, Director General of Tourism and Hospitality for Madrid, told the newspaper: 'The situation at Barajas Airport could harm the tourist image of the Community of Madrid, eroding the perception of security so valued by visitors and to which so much effort is put.' The airport technically falls under the administration of Madrid City Council, but the regional government of the Community of Madrid admits it is affected by the ongoing incidents - and is also blaming the national government for 'not doing enough'. 'We're going to try to do whatever it takes,' Madrid President Ayuso said this week. 'As long as there's even one person sleeping on the floor of the airport due to this situation, we can't stand idly by and think this situation is over.' But Ayuso said the national government, led by Socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez, could be doing more However, Ayuso said the national government, led by Socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez, could be doing more. 'These are Aena facilities,' the conservative leader said, blasting Sanchez's 'blatant refusal to act' with 'all necessary means'. Aena, the authority that manages most of Spain's airports, is state-owned. 'It's an inhumane situation for these people, and certainly Madrid and Spain as a whole don't deserve that image,' she added.
