A record number of those using Portugal’s airports have suffered disruption this year, nearly twice the number logged over the same period in 2017.
An average of 890 people per day have been subject to delays, according to AirHelp which gives the most common cause as ‘a lack of pilots.’
'The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports that 48% of aviation companies have difficulty finding new pilots due to salary issues and a lack of candidates. To exacerbate the already existing shortage in the industry, an additional 637,000 pilots are expected to be needed in the next 20 years,' writes AirHelp.
The bitter-sweet concept of ‘overtourism’ has become a reality in Portugal, especially in Lisbon where the inadequate Humberto Delgado airport reached capacity last year.
AirHelp, a web-based travel compensation company, suggests improvements, such as adding or enlarging lanes to accommodate larger airplanes, as well as better management of air traffic congestion.
"Some smaller airports are adding dedicated terminals for international flights to streamline customs processes and improve automated passport control systems. This allows for faster processing and a more pleasant passenger experience.
"...Portugal continues to grow as a major tourist destination, it is clear that the sector needs to adapt," said Bernardo Pinto, AirHelp passenger rights specialist.
"Airports need to upgrade their facilities to accommodate the growing number of passengers, and airlines need to work harder to hire more pilots to meet rising demand. Overtourism will continue to pressure the industry and therefore there are steps to take. Airlines should always put their customers first, while planning the future and addressing these issues. When the obstacles faced by the industry disrupt passengers’ plans, airlines are obliged to compensate them when disturbances occur," continued Pinto.
Last year, Portugal received 12.7 million foreign guests and, for the first time, the number of foreigners exceeded the number of the Portuguese population.
An obstacle to further tourism growth is the lack of responsiveness of the French-owned airports concession holder, ANA, especially at Lisbon Airport - which last year handled 27 million passengers (up 18.8% in a year) - where the solution is a botched, overdue and unimpressive project to convert the Montijo airbase into a low-cost airline hub with no additional links to Lisbon city-centre and a planned opening date, at best, sometime vaguely in 2021, with a fair wind...
Expect further delays.
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