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Date Published: 21/05/2025

Madrid Airport staff to begin patrolling terminals at night as more homeless people seek regular shelter

Airport staff say safety and hygiene are deteriorating with the high numbers of rough sleepers who have nowhere to go, urging calls for social intervention

Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport is experiencing a growing humanitarian dilemma as increasing numbers of homeless people are using its terminals as an overnight refuge. The situation, which staff say has worsened noticeably in recent months, is sparking concern over working conditions and passenger safety, while also raising uncomfortable questions about how Spanish society deals with homelessness in public spaces.

Since the heavy spring rains started a few months ago, airport workers have reported seeing dozens of people sleeping in Terminal 1 on any given night, often bringing cardboard boxes, plastic bags and suitcases filled with belongings. The makeshift camps usually begin forming in the early evening, as people arrive to find a dry, secure place to rest, sometimes leaving only when they are asked to move on by security or local police.

Despite the discomfort it causes staff and passengers, there is a growing awareness that many of those sleeping at the airport – estimated to be around 400 people on a regular basis – have few, if any, alternatives.

“We’re seeing more and more people come in every night,” said one worker at the airport, who described regular confrontations and a noticeable decline in hygiene levels in public areas. The cleaning teams are often left to deal with the aftermath each morning.

“It’s not just about tidying up. Sometimes we’re dealing with human waste, fleas or other health hazards. It’s demoralising,” said another employee.

Security staff say their hands are tied. The airport is a public space, and unless someone commits an offence, police cannot force them to leave. The security forces employed by the airport management company Aena, as represented by their unions, are also loathe to undertake any action to move the homeless people on which could be illegal or extend beyond the bounds of their contracts.

“We understand these people need somewhere to go,” said a security officer, “but the situation is getting out of control. Fights break out, some people are shouting through the night, and passengers feel uneasy.”

The issue has been slowly building, but with the continued rise in Spain’s cost of living and the rapidly advancing housing crisis, it appears to be accelerating. Airport workers and union representatives stress that while the majority of homeless people pose no threat, the lack of dedicated services or coordinated responses is allowing the situation to spiral.

“We’re not blaming these people,” one worker said. “The blame lies with the institutions that have failed them, and now they’ve also failed us.”

Some of the individuals sleeping at the airport are immigrants, often recently arrived, while others are Spanish nationals with long-term housing issues. For many, Barajas offers a relatively safe, warm place to stay overnight without the dangers of sleeping on the street. But the reality is grim, with few facilities, constant noise and the daily risk of being moved along by police or insulted by passersby.

60 homeless people take up residence in Málaga Airport

The problem is not unique to Madrid. At Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport, workers have been raising similar concerns.

According to the local branch of the CCOO union, the number of homeless individuals staying overnight at Málaga Airport has risen to around 60, up from just a dozen a year ago. Staff have reported disturbances, verbal abuse, and hygiene issues, particularly at night. “Most just want somewhere safe to sleep,” said José Muñoz, the union’s representative at Aena, “but some suffer from mental health issues and become aggressive. The staff feel unprotected.”

The union in Málaga, like its counterpart in Madrid, is calling on Aena to take greater responsibility by coordinating with social services to find long-term solutions.

“This isn’t just an airport issue,” said Muñoz. “It’s a social issue, and pretending it doesn’t exist won’t make it go away.”

As more people across Spain fall into housing insecurity, airports have become reluctant refuges of last resort. The scenes at Barajas and Málaga suggest a clear need for coordinated action—not just to support airport operations, but to protect the dignity and wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable people in society.

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