The long waiting times at passport control at Brussels Airport could have a damaging impact on the country, Belgium's Interior Minister Bernard Quintin has warned.
The Federal Police is now drafting a plan to address the situation, after the minister denounced the ongoing issue during a visit to the airport on Friday.
"Waiting times of two hours or more are not only annoying for travellers, but also damaging to the image of Brussels and Belgium. We have to tackle this," he told De Standaard.
Earlier this month, The Brussels Times received several messages from incoming passengers at Brussels Airport facing significant waiting times at passport control.
Some passengers reportedly waited almost five hours in line. "After a long flight, it’s inhumane to expect us to stand for nearly 5 hours. Our day’s plan was ruined," a passenger travelling on 2 May told The Brussels Times. "Fellow passengers were missing birthday lunches, connecting with other family members," they added.
Three days later, on 5 May, another incoming traveller, José Sampaio, waited almost three hours at passport control. According to Sampaio, not all passport check stations had an officer.
The situation is a consequence of the insufficient staff available from the Federal Police, who manage border control, according to Brussels Airport spokesperson, Ihsane Chioua Lekhli.
While the "well-known" staffing issues are not new, the impact on the airport is dependent on the passenger traffic, explained Lekhli. Holiday periods tend to exacerbate the issues.
At the moment, the Federal Police adjusts the deployment of officers based on passenger flows and "making maximum use of available resources," a Federal Police spokesperson told The Brussels Times.
Quintin previously signed a royal decree allowing the deployment of Frontex officers, who manage the European Union's external borders, to the airport.
Picture of Brussels Airport staff distributing water to passengers on Friday 2 May sent by a reader of The Brussels Times.
However, alongside increased government investment, Quintin wants authorities to strengthen their efforts, particularly with the upcoming summer season. "I want quick results on the ground. At the same time, this government will also make structural investments in strengthening border control capacity at Brussels Airport."
For several years, the Federal Police has addressed the summer season with a "special summer plan" where extra police officers who do not normally work on the border control help ensure that all border checkpoints are manned, explained a Federal Police spokesperson. "This way, we try to handle the peak moments when many flights from outside the Schengen zone arrive at the same time as best we can."
The approach for this year is yet to be completed, according to the Federal Police spokesperson. "A concrete plan is now being worked out for this summer, with as many resources as available."
