en 
According to SIC Notícias, within one hour, 12 flights brought 1,200 passengers to the airport and most of them came from countries outside the European Union - namely the United Kingdom - which requires passport control.
Upon arrival, passengers must presented Covid-19 tests and digital certificates, as well as passports. This entire process occupied many SEF (Foreigners and Borders Service) inspectors who were unable to avoid the increase in queues. Also, to make things worse, there was a pilot test to check passports that wasn't yet working at 100 percent.
“At a time in which it is necessary to control Covid-19 tests and digital certificates, along with the entry of British citizens, several foreign and border service posts were unable to respond to the movement on Friday morning”, reported SIC Notícias
João Fernandes, head of Algarve Tourism Board, told SIC Notícias that he had already talked to SEF, who assured him that the pilot project would be ready for the British half term holidays, when an increase in airport traffic is expected with the school break for British students.
Despite the crowds last week, Faro Airport remains at around 50 percent of traffic compared to pre-pandemic levels, where in October 2018 and 2019 it had around one million passengers landing.
The next day, on 16 October, this situation was not repeated.
Paula Martins is a fully qualified journalist, who finds writing a means of self-expression. She studied Journalism and Communication at University of Coimbra and recently Law in the Algarve. Press card: 8252
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Why are the British being allowed in with more than 40,000 being confirmed with Covid every day?
By greg from Other on 19 Oct 2021, 15:36
Can you add more detail to your reporting? The lady line of the article says “the situation was not repeated” you should advise your readers “which” situation was not repeated—was it 12 flights with 1200 passengers landing within an hour was not repeated or was it the shortage of SEF agents was not repeated? Also, what is the airport and SEF doing to ensure this doesn’t continue to happen—will the airport not schedule so many landings in such a short period of time or will SEF be reviewing the flight schedules a week or two ahead of time to ensure there are enough agents working as needed?
By Amy from Algarve on 20 Oct 2021, 06:38
The last itinerary is untrue as i flew into faro on Saturday 16th of October and we were crammed like sardines in a tin seemingly because 8 flights landed at similar times. It was a complete joke. In the middle of a pandemic.
By Philip Murphy from Other on 20 Oct 2021, 07:46
Well said Greg. Stop the rat infested Brits and all the Problems will go away. !!!!!!!
By J from Lisbon on 20 Oct 2021, 13:15
Algarve needs a bigger airport with more personnel, more staff, more workers, because that's a tourist destination and there could be thousands of tourists arriving at any time. So Faro, Algarve needs a bigger airport with more staff also to handle and check the arrivals. Also they should modernize all the equipment to do things faster and more efficient.
By Tony from Other on 20 Oct 2021, 16:32
I find it VERY PECULIAR that Portugal even let the Brits & Irish even entering Portugal at all!! They were quilty for all the covid cases in Alvor last fall. 100 + elderly men and women died!! Just because of a HUGE crowd of drunken men rumbled around on the streets of Alvor.
By Urban Lurve from Algarve on 20 Oct 2021, 19:47
Geeee Welcome 2 Canada eh
By Joanne from Other on 21 Oct 2021, 00:25
Unfortunately, on the 16th October at 10;45 the problem was just as bad, if not worse, with queues, stretching from passport control to where passengers were being dropped of from arriving by bus from incoming aircraft. I have never seen it so bad.
By Kevin from UK on 21 Oct 2021, 10:19
Portugal adopted very stringent rules with regard to Covid in March 2020 with regards to the population and departures and arrivals. However they have agreed to allow tourists into the country to increase the necessary revenue and sadly they have to suffer the consequences. No particular country can be blamed for a rise in Covid related illnesses . If the Portuguese are so concerned about increases in this very nasty illness then they should close their borders for tourists arriving and residents departing.
By Denise Bennett from UK on 21 Oct 2021, 20:48
This was repeated last Tuesday evening when I arrived and witnessed hundreds of Uk citizens (and others) were treated like they were in a third world airport. Crowds of people snailed around the ill thought out arrival stairs in utter confusion. I have photos to prove it. Not a great look for an area that relies heavily on tourism. Unfortunately these tourists will think twice about entering the British bashing EU and will take their tourist pound to friendlier destinations. Mean while the electronic passport reader just sat idle to the left of the passport control. The childish governments of the UK and EU constantly trying to punish each other like a divorced couple. Time to grow up I say!!
By Michel Faisca from Algarve on 22 Oct 2021, 09:43
I am sure people with covid or have had no double vaccination they should not be allowed to fly from uk to anywhere.Any person who land without proof of a negative test should quarantine at a cost .
By David Randall from UK on 22 Oct 2021, 11:42
I entered Portugal via Faro on September 20th. On that date there was no check at passport control on any of the documentation to which this article refers (viz Passenger locator forms, Vaccination Status or lateral flow test records ). There were no delays (but only about 100 people not the 1200 who arrived per your article) and clearly on that day the SEF official had decided not to run the checks given that most, if not all, of the checking had already been done at the point of departure in the UK.
By Malcolm Cummings from UK on 22 Oct 2021, 11:56
Faro airport 31 October was ridiculous. Never known anything like it at an airport. Check in ( easyjet ) , security ( everyone herded together like cattle) . Wish people would print out their proof of vaccination and not rely on their phones. Thessaloniki airport 27 th August at departures faced the same potential problems but it ran without any problems whatsoever. K
By Philip from UK on 01 Nov 2021, 09:31