Travellers are reported to have queued for over three hours to get through customs due to a lack of staff and faulty e-gates.

Easter weekend was a frustrating experience for travellers at Faro Airport as they encountered extensive lines due to a lack of available staff. Passengers reported delays of up to three hours due to e-Gate malfunctions and inadequate airline communication.

According to witnesses, there was chaos at the airport as children cried and some passengers fainted while waiting in vain to either arrive or return home.

Passengers wasted no time venting their travel problems on social media. Yvette Hughes posted on X, formerly Twitter, to challenge airline Jet 2 over the Faro chaos. She wrote: “What the hell is going on? 3 and a half hours’ queuing through security. My knees are swollen, someone has passed out, children are crying. Not a bit of information from anyone.”

The airline told her, “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. However, the same has been forwarded to us for a quick action. Kindly send us a direct message and we will update you at earliest and accordingly.” Ms Hughes later responded by saying: “Still queuing and no reply. 4 hours.”

Fellow passenger James Parson posted, “Legitimately been in line for customs for 3 hours at Faro airport. My flight was only an hour and 40.”

Jeff Stelling, a former Soccer Saturday presenter, also posted on X, “Faro Airport. Not enough staff. Electronic gates that don’t work. People stuck for over 3 hours and not moving. Happy Easter.”

Speaking to Correio da Manhã newspaper, an official PSP source confirmed the “occurrence of a peak in passenger arrivals this Sunday morning”. Despite having “all available staff working, with all document control booths open”, the PSP states that “it took a while to let passengers on the flights that arrived in the morning go through”.

According to the PSP, “the situation is already normalising”.