Guardia Civil officers watch as passengers, wearing protective masks, walk as they arrive from Paris at Adolfo Suarez Barajas Airport as Spain reopens its borders to most European visitors following the coronavirus lockdown, in Madrid , Spain, June 21, 2020. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

MADRID, June 7 (Reuters) – Long queues at Madrid Barajas airport in recent weeks are expected to ease as Spanish police scramble to hire more staff to cope with rising tourism due to the easing of restrictions related to COVID-19, the government announced on Tuesday. .

With the 200 new hires, a total of more than 600 officials will work at the airport to control the flow of foreign tourists which has increased significantly in recent weeks, Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Rodriguez told reporters. at a press conference after the weekly cabinet meeting.

She added that other airports in the country with an increase in tourist numbers would also have more staff.

Long queues in Madrid resemble problems at airports in Britain, Amsterdam and elsewhere in Europe as travel resumes as the pandemic subsides. Read more

The Spanish unit Iberia of International Airlines Group (ICAG.L) complained about delays and chaos at passport control at Madrid’s Barajas airport on Monday and said around 15,000 of its passengers missed their flight since March 1.

The Spanish Interior Ministry has denied anyone missed a flight at the airport, which is operated by Aena SME (AENA.MC).

“In recent months, the national police have not registered any complaints of missed theft,” the ministry said in a statement.

“There are no queues or delays that go beyond ad hoc situations generated by the coincidence of several flights from outside the Schengen area,” the statement said.

People from the Schengen area, a group of 26 European countries, including Spain, can travel freely without presenting a passport.

According to the Interior Ministry, around 18.7 million travelers will pass through Madrid airport in June this year.

Reporting by Christina Thykjaer and Inti Landauro; Editing by Louise Heavens and Lisa Shumaker

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