Portugal Border Delays Set To Affect Easter Travels

Travelers have been warned of delays at the Portuguese border over the Easter weekend due to strike action. This comes after Portuguese immigration officers announced a series of walkouts from 6-10 April.

This industrial action is set to affect holidaymakers heading to Portugal over Easter, who will face the threat of delays entering the country due to strike action. 

The UK Foreign Office issued an updated travel advisory for Portugal, saying, “Between 6-10 April, there may be travel disruption due to industrial action by Portuguese immigration officers.  “If you are traveling over this period, allow additional time to clear border control when entering and exiting Portugal. Check for announcements and follow the guidance provided by your airline or tour operator.”

These five days of industrial action are speculated to cause delays at airports. A restructuring of Portugal’s immigration and border service (SEF) has been blamed for the industrial unrest. Around 900 inspectors and 700 non-police personnel work at SEF. 

Since Brexit, British tourists need to have their passports stamped upon entry and exit to Portugal and other EU countries. This means they will need to wait for a border official to process their passport before they can enter Portugal.

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In related news, separate strikes in France supported by the air traffic service since March 14 in protest against pension reforms are set to continue until Easter Saturday leading to delays to flights operating through French airspace.

Ryanair has launched a petition calling for air traffic controllers from other countries to be able to manage their air space during the action. France serves as a transit point to Italy, to Portugal, to Spain, to North Africa. This unfortunately translates  to the huge impact and all the delays that are being experienced today. 

All travelers have been advised to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport, although airlines should contact passengers directly if their journey is delayed or cancelled.