Allow plenty of time at Palma Airport

[Lorenzo]

We travelled back from Palma late yesterday (July 14th 2012) and encountered very large queues at Security - there were even queues just to get into the Security queue areas!
We were marshalled from one end of Security to the other end only to find it was just as busy

A friend who left earlier the same day thought that she would miss her flight due to the delays at Security. Luckily her flight was held back to allow everyone time to get through.

So do allow plenty of time to get through the Security area!

 

[Sparky]

Thanks for the warning Lorenzo, i wonder why it was so bad though .

 

[pollensafan]

Found the same thing at the end of june.They were queing around to the top of the escalators. Folk say theres no money about, well you could have fooled me. I've never seen it so busy.

 

[Lorenzo]

And my nephew, who flew back from Palma this morning, said that the queues for outbound passport controls stretched the whole length of the travelators into Terminal A.
Can't understand it, as the Spanish Immigration Officers rarely scan the passports presented to them anyway.

 

[clinkham]

We returned Monday morning the 9th. Transfer coach dropped us about 1045 outside the Jet2 desks and we were checked in, through security and in the dutyfree airside within 15/20 mins.

In fact we commented that the system seemed to be working a lot better than it did when there were piles of trays and trestle tables - the trays for your shoes belts coins etc were on a long roller conveyor so you sort of walked slowly keeping up with the tray as you disrobed. Same arrangment at the other side of the scanner. It did seem to increase the flow of passengers through the system.
The empty trays were retained on the conveyor, dropping off the end into the bowels of the machine and in due course popping up at the other end ready for another passenger. Simplez!!

Except for Lorenzo it seems!!

 

[Lorenzo]

haha - and a few other travellers!

 

[copper]

We were very lucky too

Best check in we have had there We flew with Thomson and they have multi check in desks and security was quick too

Arrival was so quick as well cases on the carousel before we got there !

Thought the airport had turned over a new leaf Obviously not !

 

[Rosie34]

From my experience, Palma security is like the Gestapo! I get pulled every time by an Eva Von Cleb sort who orders me to Stop, take off zee shoes ( slip on wedges), Seet ofer der, all without a crack of a smile or a pleez or dank u. Luckily she cannot hear the 'obsenities' I am doing under my breath It just happens every time and now I can feel my hackles rising as soon as we get near - the worst part of our holiday

 

[JMD40]

I have heard a few comments the last two weeks about queues at security but also at Passport control to get into and out of the country. So best to get to the airport in plenty of time and just stay calm.

 

[CathB]

The main delays on saturday were at passport control (we were going home)..we decided not to stop for coffee but to go straight to terminal A...there were about 30 people in front of us.Our flight was on time and we boarded quite quickly,,,then we waited and waited...there were only 80 people on the plane and we were missing 46..the problem was there were hundreds of people trying to get through passport control and only 1 person on the desk - when eventually everyone boarded (half hour after the original departure time) .we had missed our slot and therefore delayed.It was announced that were would have to wait another 1hr 45mins but we were in luck as another flight missed their slot for the same reason so we had theirs so all in all only an hour delay in total . what a nightmare it must have been later on .they do need to get their act together

 

[copper]

Imagine the airlines will be putting some pressure on as it must be costing them a lot of money

There isnt any industrial action is there ?

 

[Karen]

We must have been lucky on Monday morning, checked in, through passport and security within 15 mins xxxxx

 

[Sparked]

Saturday's do seem to be the main problem at the minute. Yes it is the busiest day of the week but more so now as the schools finish today and everyone else begins their holidays.
We arrived in Palma last Saturday and passport control was horrendous. At least an hour queuing. Every flight seemed to be coming through the same passport control through the older part where there were only 2 or 3 passport desks, not down the flat escalators (as I like to call them) in the more modern part of the airport! In fact it got so much passport control just let loads of people through without checking passports. Never known delays like it there.

Then we hadn't a clue where our luggage was as our flight was pretty much non existent to Palma at least! Our flight did not show on arrival screens nor any carousels. No one was about to help and by luck did we find our Birmingham bags on the carousel for Manchester and gatwick!!!!! Lol. What's going On though? Any efficiency that was there has become non existent on Saturdays!!! I'd say on outbound flights get there as early as you can. Sounds like security is very slow too.

 

[raven]

I have used Palma quite a few times and it's pretty good. Shops are expensive but I dont really count their fault, I liked security because it was so quick for such a busy airport. But I was confused when my flight to Edinburgh was boarding next to another flight to Edinburgh as we ended up queuing for the wrong flight. Gate agents were quite frosty. I also applaud air traffic control there as planes arrive and depart much faster than in Edinburgh.

 

[alcanadakid]

Left Palma at mid day today- Security queue took 5 minutes, immigration queue about 2 minutes (terminal A)

Gatwick was very crowded but the immigration queue only took 10 minutes

 

[pollensa]

Left Palma at mid day today- Security queue took 5 minutes, immigration queue about 2 minutes (terminal A)

Gatwick was very crowded but the immigration queue only took 10 minutes

Same for us - got to Palma at 2 pm today for 3:50 pm flight - no queues at all & Stansted was amazing - every desk manned & a very friendly Border control guy

By the way, Gate A now has Subway - very nice Chicken sandwich with loads of salad ...

& it was very warm when we got off the plane... (in the UK)