Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) in Bologna has issued a passenger alert confirming that Italy’s re-introduced border controls with Spain have been extended until at least 15 October 2026. The measure, originally triggered on 1 August amid a surge in irregular migration via Ceuta, requires airlines to disembark arrivals from Spain at the extra-Schengen gates so that Border Police can screen non-EU nationals. EU and Schengen-area citizens continue to walk through the green channel without added formalities. The airport stressed that the procedure does not affect flight timetables or create paperwork for EU passport holders, but travellers should expect a longer walk from the aircraft stand and possible spot-checks if they hold dual nationality. Carriers have been instructed to segregate third-country nationals during the coach transfer to the terminal to speed up processing. For corporate mobility managers the practical impact is minor but worth flagging to mixed-nationality teams commuting between Spanish hubs and Emilia-Romagna’s manufacturing cluster. Non-EU assignees should carry printed copies of residence permits and company invitation letters to avoid secondary interviews. The Interior Ministry can extend the controls in 15-day blocks under Article 25 of the Schengen Borders Code. With negotiations over a new EU Migration Pact still deadlocked, observers expect Rome to renew the measure again through the end of October. Other Italian airports serving Spanish routes, including Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino, are applying similar gate-segregation procedures. Businesses should update travel advisories accordingly and remind travellers that carry-on liquids and electronics rules at security remain unchanged.
