Delays at Palma Passport Control

[marilyn]

Was anyone affected by the reported delays over the weekend at Passport Control at Palma airport? According to various newspapers,at one stage there was more than a thousand people queuing on arrival, with some fainting from the heat.

Just wondering if it was an Easter holiday surge one off or an ongoing problem.

 

[tangofan]

It seemed to affect both arrivals and departures - I wonder how that affected booked transfers for arrivals and did people miss their flight home because of it I wonder?

 

[kate1]

All was well when we went through on Saturday evening - passed through in a few minutes. I have been there in the past when a large queue built up incredibly quickly as a result of one guy having some sort of problem with his passport meaning only one officer was processing everyone else - wish they would install and staff a few more cubicles for situations like these.

 

[alcanadakid]

We had a 15 minute wait arriving at Palma last week. It seemed that the immigration officers were processing each passport on their computer rather than waving you through. Part of a go slow, maybe?

Baggage took a long time too, even though we were the only flight arriving

 

[Gommar Goffer]

it's always better than Luton airport passport control

 

[copper]

I did read this was happening at Malaga also and people were missing flights as of course if people have only hand luggage they arrive fairly late

I thought it said it was security and somethng to do with the Shengen area Unfortunately cant remember where I read it to check !

 

[marilyn]

Fairly speedy lunchtime today. Waved through without looking at passport closely. 35 minutes from touchdown to exit at arrivals with three hold bags. Not bad at all. Terminal A always faster than the others.

 

[ChrisW]

Apparently, it's become slow again with huge queues as they check passports more carefully.

Anyone know about this or know why?

Chris

 

[Sparky]

Hope this will explain it :- https://majorcadailybulletin.com/ne...ction-being-taken-resolve-passport-chaos.html.

 

[ChrisW]

Brill, thanks Sparky.

And i hope the urgent action is in place on Weds when my daughter arrives or even Thurs when some friends arrive, but i fear not!

 

[annascotland]

We had long passport delays at Barcelona El Prat airport in May, while staying there we got an email from Ryanair saying that due to additional checks at passport control we should allow 3 hours at airport before flight departure. When we returned to Edinburgh airport the passport control queues were even longer! My daughter and family arrived back from Spain late on Wednesday night into Prestwick airport which is usually very quiet and quick and had long delays for passport control. If additional checks are being done then extra Security staff are needed to be in place. At Edinburgh airport they were not using the self scanners, perhaps a local problem?

 

[Lorenzo]

Absolutely no delays when leaving from Palma on Saturday 15th July 2017. Security controls took a little longer but all the queues were moving quite quickly. We went straight to Terminal A for departure passport checks (around midday) and no queues there either.

Plenty of time for a nice San Miguel at the San Miguel bar before getting ready to board.

The only drawback was being loaded into the shuttle bus and then waiting by the departure gate for over 15 minutes in the searingly hot heat on the bus before being taken out to the Volotea plane waiting on the tarmac.

 

[copper]

At least 45 mins for us to go through passport control leaving on Sunday the 2nd July We had allowed 2 hours and only just made it to the gate in time Total chaos

Certainly no time for a drink shopping and couldnt even get the drinks machines to work and it was so hot we were desperate for water !

Hope this is sorted before our next visit

 

[PP76]

Hope this will explain it :- https://majorcadailybulletin.com/ne...ction-being-taken-resolve-passport-chaos.html.

Hopefully this will be resolved very soon, I have been coming out each weekend to join the family who are here for the summer and on the way back last Sunday evening as I approached passport control the queue was only about 20 feet long, it then took just under an hour to get through! By then the queue stretched all the way to the shops at the top, at one point a riot nearly broke out and instantly police arrived to control things - so plenty are available. If we did not own property here it would put you off coming back.

 

[copper]

A bit like our queue We didnt think it seemed that bad but behind us it kept getting worse and worse Then the pushing and queue jumping starts !

Some people thought they would miss their flights It appears then it is down to the good will of the airline to get you home !

All the shops and Restaurants will miss out as well if this continues

 

[tangofan]

We travelled back last Monday and went to Gate A and can't recall any electronic machines at all. There were 2 booths, each with 2 people in them and my husband was just waved through but my passport was scanned but that was it and we were the only people about. We also were the only people at the BA check in desk and no queues at security either - they even opened a lane especially for us! However our BA flight was delayed by an hour (and over 2 hours on the way out BA!!!) so you can't have everything!! We feel very lucky compared with all the horror stories of delays on here but it does seem that the authorities are taking immediate action which is very good. You can just imagine in the UK they would probably have to have lots of meetings and possibly open a new government department just to sort this sort of issue out!

 

[emmalou]

Long queues arriving at Palma this morning. But anyone with children under 18 got fast tracked, as my daughter is 16 we got through very quickly but did feel guilty passing everyone else.

 

[PP76]

Just arrived home, tonight passport control was only 15 minutes.

 

[ChrisW]

Anyone come through into Majorca today?

Given how late Easyjet can be and the possible delay, i dread my potential wait to pick up my daughter this eve.

 

[Disorderly]

I must say that as we are travelling back to Liverpool this Saturday as a group of 6 plus a 5 month old baby the stories about passport control have been very worrying. We have to fuel and drop off 2 hire cars and then deal with the great unknown of how long it will take to get to (miss!) the easyJet flight.

We've been coming here since 1994 every year and I've never heard anything like it. Palma airport should hang its head in shame.