“There is no longer chaos at Portugal’s airports” – minister

Infrastructures minister Miguel Pinto Luz has announced today: “There is no longer chaos at the airports”.

It is a huge thing to say after months of agonising queues and bad publicity. But the minister acknowledges that there has been a ‘reinforcement of security personnel who control the frontiers, at all airports – but particularly at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado airport’, and now everyone can look at the busy summer season “with greater tranquility”.

Pinto Luz was speaking on the sidelines of the signing of an agreement between the municipality of Vila do Conde and Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) for the construction of a new bridge over the River Ave.

He stressed that his ministry has been working closely with the Interior Ministry to reinforce border management at the country’s main airports.

“We have increased the number of machines and technological resources and have been monitoring the situation continuously and effectively. We believe we have the necessary conditions to ensure a calmer summer,” he repeated.

The move comes after the rollout of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) made headlines, for all the wrong reasons, all over the world.

The government took its time responding effectively, but with the help of the European Commission, measures were put in place and now we just have to ‘sit back’ and hope Miguel Pinto Luz has ‘got it right’.

Source: LUSA/ ECO

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.