UK passport holders can now use the e-gates at Portugal’s airports, in a move that will have big positive consequences for those heading to the sunshine country this summer
A very busy airport popular with British holidaymakers will start using e-gates for UK arrivals this week.
In a major boost for British passport holding tourists, Faro Airport in Portugal will begin the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this week, the minister for EU relations has said.
UK passport holders will be able to use the e-gates at all Portugese airports that have them installed, which are Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Funchal airports.
Taking a question about steps “to improve relations with the EU”, Nick Thomas–Symonds – a minister in the Cabinet Office – told the Commons: “The historic deal that we signed with the EU on May 19 is in our national interests – good for bills, borders and jobs. It slashes red tape and bureaucracy, boosts British exporters and makes life easier for holidaymakers. Indeed, I’m delighted to confirm this morning that Faro Airport in Portugal will start the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this week.”
The sunshine destination is to become the first country to allow UK passport holders to use the system since Sir Keir Starmer struck a deal with Brussels last month.
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In recent weeks, images have emerged of long queues of passengers from countries outside the Schengen Area at Faro and Lisbon airports, waiting for several hours for immigration control.
The issues were having a big impact on tired holidaymakers and airport workers. Last week, the Police Professionals’ Union Association in Portugal warned that Immigration and Borders Unit staff faced exhaustion due to the intense workloads they were wading through.
For both UK arrivals and those from EU countries who have been able to use the e-gates, Faro Airport has become something of an obstacle course.
Edward Carter, a regular traveller from England to Portugal, was swept up in lengthy queues last month. “The delay was unacceptable, affecting as it did, so many people with special assistance needs, senior citizens and also families with small children. In the area of the queue there was inadequate access to toilets and no water, which would have affected vulnerable travellers with health issues for example,” he told the Portugal Resident.
“I was told that Faro is the only airport in Portugal where these delays are suffered and the issue seems to be down to lack of management planning and organisation. The tourist industry is going to be adversely affected if passengers face delays like this and no-one admits responsibility.”
James Brooks, a British property owner in the Algarve, told the publication that he was going to sell his holiday let in the region because of difficulties getting through the airport.
Holiday-goer Cheryl captured the overcrowded airport in a now-viral TikTok video. The clip depicts hordes of tourists compelled to form lengthy queues to get their passports stamped and exit the airport, a situation she dubbed as a ‘nightmare’.
“Faro is always hit and miss,” remarked one holidaymaker. “It’s like planes just turned up unscheduled and caught passport control off guard.”
Back in 2013, Vinci Airports took over ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, which was responsible for managing 10 Portuguese airports, including Faro, under a 50-year concession. Fast forward four years, and the company splashed out an eye-watering €32.8 million (about £27 million) on the airport as it began to see a surge in growth. That growth, which has also meant a rise in passenger numbers, has caused issues.
Vinci announced: “The extension and renovation works have increased the size of the terminal from 81,200 to 93,120 sq. metres, and thus the airport’s passenger-handling capacity from 2,400 to 3,000 people an hour. Zones dedicated to retail outlets and restaurants have been enlarged and renovated to better serve travellers’ expectations, and new security-check areas have been built to meet new airport security requirements while at the same time ensuring a smoother passage for passengers.”
Faro’s popularity is due to its location in Portugal’s beautiful, sun-drenched Algarve region, which attracted a whopping 5.2 million tourists last year. Albuferia, one of the Algarve’s most frequented cities, is a mere 37 minutes’ drive from the airport.
Around 2.5 million people from the UK travel to Portugal each year with more with 300,000 heading to the Algarve. Around 50,000 Brits live in the country.