TOURISTS arriving at the largest airport in Spain are welcomed with harrowing sights of sleeping ‘zombies’.
Passengers arriving at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport were shocked to see the homeless taking shelter on every level of the terminal.
Almost 500 “unauthorised occupants” live on the airport premises to avoid rough sleeping on the cold streets.
El Mundo reported: “Initially, a significant number of homeless individuals were spending their nights on Level 1 of Terminal 4 at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, but this situation has escalated significantly.”
“Now, they are present on every floor and in every corner, unfazed by the dropping temperatures at night or the frequent announcements over the PA system that echo every few minutes.”
Tourism bosses fear that a recent increase in reported drug use and violence among the population may deter tourists from visiting the capital city.
Dozens of men and women have been seen sleeping on floors in Terminal 4.
Rough sleepers can sometimes be found resting at restaurant tables and lavatory entrances.
Cleaners are also often required to clean urine from the floor after drunk people relieve themselves where they sleep.
The Spanish newspaper El Debate noted that employees intend to bring their grievances to the Ministry of Labour, citing the “clear risk” to their welfare.
Spanish reports also state that crack and other drug use, as well as prostitution, are widespread amongst the population.
Some residents have also been caught in possession of knives, machetes, and other handmade weapons.
Many are residing in the airport as they struggle to live in a city where living and housing costs have rocketed in recent years.
Fernando from Peru has been living at the airport for several months and told DailyMail: “You definitely have to sleep with one eye open.
“There are some bad eggs here who will rob you while you sleep, they usually come out at 3am, they’ll take your phone, cigarettes, or whatever they can grab.
“A lot of the people are working for cash during the day in the black economy, then come back with alcohol and get drunk on whiskey and rum. Many have been living here for years.”
Police often patrol the terminal, checking the residents’ documents and looking out for any criminals wanted by the authorities.
Tensions amongst the occupants have been known to spark brawls every now and then.
The UGT trade union has slammed the government over the tackling of the issue.
They said in a statement: “Workers are exposed to dangerous situations in an environment that has not been designed or prepared for this type of problem.
“Travelers themselves, unaware of this situation, are also suffering the consequences, facing an environment of insecurity unbecoming of a key infrastructure for the country.”
Meanwhile, NGO workers who support the homeless have also accused the government of failing the vulnerable group.
Gaspar Garcia, head of the Despega project at the Bokatas NGO added: “Instead of seeking housing or inclusion solutions, they have decided to relocate them to a very specific area – on the first floor of Terminal 4 – without basic conditions: no cleanliness, no security, no opportunity for real rest.”
It comes as the airport has also been faced with a reported bedbug infestation this week.
Airport workers claimed to have been plagued by insect bites, leading to the airport’s managing body to hire pest control.
The company has had to fumigate hallways, furniture, and even check-in belts for bedbugs, ticks, and cockroaches.
But a Naturalia report into the alleged outbreak isn’t such a big deal, suggesting that the bites were “a one-off incident with no determined origin”.
