Brits rage at 'inhuman' Spanish airport queues as officials call emergency meeting

In a shocking display of travel turmoil, British holidaymakers were left fuming after being ensnared in two-hour queues at airports amid "inhuman" conditions, prompting urgent discussions among Spain's highest-ranking officials just as the school holidays begin.

The disruption reached its peak on Monday (May 26), when roughly 500 found themselves waiting on the tarmac at South Airport, enduring waits of up to 45 minutes before facing the additional agony of malfunctioning escalators and seemingly endless lines for passport control.

Inside the terminal, beleaguered travellers encountered a mere handful of staff overseeing the entry process, with only two booths operational for the throngs of passengers, leading to an oppressive atmosphere likened to "third world" conditions.

Caught amidst the chaos, Lourdes Tourecillas, who flew from Bristol, described to the desperate measures taken by some families: "Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating," she reported, adding: "there were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed."

In response to these scenes, Rosa Davila, President of Tenerife's governing council, has urgently convened a top-level meeting. The situation reflects a deeply concerning trend of overcrowding and delays at this hot-spot destination during high visitor seasons.

Davila condemned the circumstances as "unacceptable" yet pointed a finger of blame at the ongoing underprovision of staff for border controls - a problem intensified by the UK's departure from the European Union.

She said: "This is a structural issue. We can't continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit."

Massive queues and overheated families faced chaos as the airport's automated passport gates failed to recognise children's passports, leaving them stuck for hours.

The local council President expressed her frustration, stating she reached out to mainland politicians only to be met with silence: "There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail," she lamented.

Tenerife's Tourism Minister, Lope Afonso, slammed the poor conditions greeting travellers: "This is the first impression our visitors get. After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination," he declared.

Afonso blasted the lack of modernisation post-Brexit compared to other nations and cautioned that if no action was taken, the summer travel period could see a repeat of such disruptions: "Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have adapted their systems since Brexit. Why haven't we?".

He also issued a stark warning about the potential summer holiday pandemonium, urging for immediate action: "We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead."