Italy-Spain Border Controls: What Changes for Airlines and Shipping Companies Until October 22, 2026

Key data

Passengers arriving in Spain from Italy by air or sea face additional document controls until October 22, 2026. The Ministry of Interior has published Order INT/1033/2026 extending for the third time the temporary restoration of controls at internal air and maritime borders, under the provisions of articles 25 and 26 of the Schengen Borders Code (EU Regulation 2016/399).

These controls, in continuous effect since August 8, 2026, involve additional inspections of all travelers from Italy, with the consequent impact on disembarkation times and ground operations for airlines and shipping companies.

What does this regulation establish?

Order INT/1033/2026 extends the temporary restoration of border controls at Spanish internal air and maritime borders exclusively with respect to passenger flows from Italy. It does not affect other routes or land borders.

The key points of the activated mechanism are:

• Controls are applied at Spanish airports and ports that receive direct flights and maritime links from Italy.
• The measure is based on articles 25 and 26 of EU Regulation 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code), which allow Member States to temporarily restore controls at internal borders in the face of serious threats to public order or internal security.
• This is the third consecutive extension: controls have been in continuous effect since August 8, 2026.
• The extension will cease automatically on October 22, 2026, or earlier if the threats justifying it disappear.
• Any extension beyond October 22 will require a new reasoned decision with proportionality assessment.

Economic and operational impact

For companies in the transport sector, the impact is not regulatory on paper: it is operational and measured in time and resources. Additional inspections at airports and ports generate:

• Delays in passenger disembarkation and processing, with direct effect on flight punctuality and subsequent connections.
• Greater workload on the ground for handling teams and on-board personnel who must manage control queues.
• Possible passenger complaints for delays attributable to border controls, although responsibility rests with the public authority and not with the airline or shipping company.
• Review of documentation for all passengers from Italy, including EU citizens who are normally not subject to control at internal Schengen borders.

Since controls have been in effect since August 8, 2026, operators with Italy-Spain routes should already have adapted procedures. The novelty of this third extension is that the framework extends until October 22, with the possibility of early cessation if the situation permits.

Who is affected?

• Airlines with direct routes between Italian and Spanish airports (passenger flights).
• Shipping companies and ferry operators with passenger maritime links between Italian and Spanish ports.
• Passengers traveling from Italy to Spain by air or sea, regardless of nationality.
• Airport and port handling companies that manage passenger processing at Spanish destination.
• Travel agencies and tour operators with packages including Italy-Spain routes, who must inform their clients of possible delays.

Cargo flights, routes not originating in Italy, and Spanish land borders are not affected.

Practical example

An airline operating a daily Rome-Madrid flight with 180 passengers on board must anticipate that at each arrival at Barajas, all passengers will be subject to additional document inspection by Spanish border authorities. This can extend disembarkation and processing time by 15 to 30 minutes compared to a standard Schengen operation without controls.

If the airline has a scheduled connection with that same aircraft within the following 90 minutes, the accumulated delay can affect the next flight. The operations team must consider this margin in rotation planning for routes originating in Italy while controls are active, that is, until October 22, 2026.

The same applies to a shipping company with a ferry on the Genoa-Barcelona route: passenger processing upon arrival at Barcelona port will include document controls that did not exist before August 8, 2026.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your routes are affected: confirm whether you operate flights or maritime links originating in Italy and destined for Spain. If so, controls apply until October 22, 2026.
2. Review operational rotation planning: incorporate additional time margins in affected flights and maritime routes to absorb delays from inspections.
3. Inform passengers: proactively communicate to travelers that they may experience additional document controls upon arrival in Spain, to reduce complaints and manage expectations.
4. Coordinate with handling teams: ensure that ground personnel at Spanish airports and ports are prepared to manage the additional control flow.
5. Monitor possible changes: controls may cease before October 22 if threats disappear, or be extended again with a new reasoned order. Staying up to date prevents operational surprises.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-20743