Images shared online have shown long queues of tourists waiting to get through.

By Charlie Bradley, Assistant Features Editor, Brian Dillon, Audience Writer

13:23, Wed, Jul 2, 2025 | UPDATED: 13:23, Wed, Jul 2, 2025

Madrid's airportlive

Madrid's airport has descended into chaos (Image: X)

Madrid-Barajas Airport has descended into chaos as fights break out at passport control and long queues build. Sources told local media that the problem is happening in Terminal 4 as passengers fear they might miss their flights. 

Aena, a state-owned body in Spain that operates a network of airports in the country, said that it is working with police to control the flow of people. 

FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG BELOW FOR MORE UPDATES.

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2 mins ago13:23 Brian Dillon

Videos show chaos

More videos shared online show the chaos at the Spanish airport. 

Madrid Barajas Uluslararas\u0131 Havaalan\u0131
Bug\u00fcn
T4 Terminali

Pasaport kabinlerinde 5-6 polis var.
Millet u\u00e7a\u011f\u0131n\u0131 ka\u00e7\u0131r\u0131yor; ay\u0131l\u0131p bay\u0131l\u0131yor.

Madrid \u2018in bir numaral\u0131 havaliman\u0131d\u0131r \u203c\ufe0f

Medya sormu\u015f \u201cne oluyor\u201d
Elimizden geleni yap\u0131yoruz - demi\u015fler.\ud83c\udf9e\ufe0f

pic.twitter.com/QThI0MsXPv

\u2014 Selim Atalay (@SelimAtalayNY) July 2, 2025

6 mins ago13:19 Brian Dillon

Sources said that passport check ports were

Sources told local media that "half of the passport control posts were empty, resulting in an average wait of 60 minutes to get through security" at around 11am today, when most long-haul flights were due to take off.

7 mins ago13:18 Brian Dillon

Aena says passenger traffic is more than usual.

Aena said: "It's early July, and passenger traffic is much higher than usual, as we're in the middle of the summer flight departure process."

9 mins ago13:16 Brian Dillon

Passenger videos show huge crowds

Huge crowds can be seen in photos and videos shared by passengers on X.

Caos en la T4 del aeropuerto de Madrid Barajas.

Pasajeros que pierden sus vuelos (entre ellos yo) ante check ins desbordados, controles de seguridad colapsados y trenes saturados.

"Son 9.000 pasajeros entre las 10.30 y las 13.30", me dicen.
"El aeropuerto no lo soporta". pic.twitter.com/5f5VHPVUnW

\u2014 Sebasti\u00e1n Fest (@sebastianfest) July 2, 2025

11 mins ago13:14 Brian Dillon

Welcome to our live blog

Welcome to our live coverage of this story. The atmosphere is tense in Madrid-Barajas Airport as passengers experience severe delays at passport control.