Non-EU passport queues at Madrid-Barajas T4s: chaos with no one in charge

Barajas T4s sees hours-long non-EU passport delays while authorities blame each other

For weeks now, Terminal 4 Satellite at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport has seen queues of over two hours at passport control for non-EU travellers. Several passengers have missed connecting flights as a result, prompting a war of words between Aena, the Policía Nacional (Spain's national police force) and the Ministry of the Interior. Meanwhile, the Ayuso-led regional government stays silent and business lobbies are pushing to privatize the service.

Two hours on average, with no improvement in sight

According to data gathered by several traveller associations, waiting times at non-EU passport control range from 90 to 150 minutes during peak hours (08:00 to 11:00 and 16:00 to 19:00). The terminal, which handles long-haul flights for airlines such as Iberia, Air Europa and Delta, lacks enough Policía Nacional staff to cope with demand spikes. Aena has repeatedly pointed out that the problem is one of staffing, not infrastructure, while the Interior Ministry blames the airlines' poor planning.

Airport lobby calls for privatizing border control

The Spanish Airlines Association (ALA) has seized on the chaos to demand private management of passport control, as already happens at airports in the UK and the Netherlands. Specifically, they propose a pay-per-use system that would let passengers skip the queue for around 20 euros. The initiative has been backed by the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, but clashes with police unions, who see it as a gateway to insecurity and economic discrimination.

The figure nobody explains: more flights, same police officers

Since 2018, the number of intercontinental flights to and from T4s has grown by 32%, while the Policía Nacional staffing assigned to passport control at Barajas has fallen by 7% over the same period. This gap explains much of the congestion, although sources at the Interior Ministry say steps have begun to fill 150 additional positions before the end of the year. The question nobody answers is why it wasn't done sooner.

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The truth is that while passengers endure stress and financial losses, the authorities keep passing the buck. And the traveller, as always, pays the price.

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