British tourists have described 'breathtaking scenes' at Portugal's Faro Airport as hundreds queue to return home before new quarantine rules come into force.
One Brit likened the queues to those seen at Thorpe Park during peak season, while another revealed passengers were stressed and confused.
It comes as holidaymakers race to fly back to the UK in order to avoid a 10-day quarantine after Boris Johnson took Portugal off the 'green list'.
Holidaymaker Mark Ainsworth said he saw around 100 people queuing for Covid tests when he arrived at Faro Airport today.
Meanwhile Louis Cohen said he witnessed hundreds of people waiting in line at the easyJet's baggage drop off point at the airport.
Mr Cohen, 21, from Brighton, told The Mirror: "There's definitely a few hundred people queuing. As soon as I saw the queue it was like 'oh my God'... I was gobsmacked.
"It's like queuing for Thorpe Park over the summer holiday or half-term and you are waiting two hours to get on a ride.
"As soon as I saw the queue I knew immediately that a large percentage of these passengers had to book emergency flights back or had changed their flights.
"You can see the urgency of everyone to get back before the quarantine comes into force."
Mr Cohen joined the baggage line at around 6pm and was only half-way through the queue an hour later.
The customer delivery driver added that he also faced another boarding queue before his flight back to Gatwick at 8.10pm.
He flew to Portugal on Tuesday for a four-day holiday in the Algarve with his partner.
Mr Cohen is annoyed at the Government's decision to downgrade Portugal so soon after placing it on the 'green list'.
Holidaymaker Mark Ainsworth, 44, from Solihull, told The Mirror that he saw around 100 people queuing for Covid tests when he arrived at Faro Airport today.
He added: "We saw several passengers being turned away for the wrong paperwork and they were clearly quite stressed.
"There does seem to be real confusion among passengers though about whether they need lateral flow tests or PCR in particular.
"It's definitely more tense than usual because you know if you have the wrong papers, you will miss your flight and by the time you get another, it will mean amber and isolation.
"Of course, there is still the possibility that someone on your plane tests positive in which case that means 10 day isolation or, even worse, Covid.
"That said, we knew we were taking a risk when we booked so we’re not complaining."
Mr Ainsworth said Brits needed to give airport officials paperwork showing they had a negative lateral flow test within three days of their departure.
He added that a passenger locator form and a 'day two test' upon return to the UK are also required.
Care home operations director Jim Muldoon and wife Elizabeth were also caught up in the chaos in Portugal, after cutting short their week-long break after just two days.
Jim, 60, said the “complete nightmare” had left them hundreds of pounds out of pocket and forced them to axe three other trips too.
“We’re cancelling three planned for this year in Greece, Turkey and the Philippines,” he said. “It’s just not worth the hassle. Next time I’ll just buy a caravan and go to Skegness.”
Jim, of Bognor Regis, West Sussex, added: “We’ve had to pay £800 for new easyJet flights back to Gatwick and we won’t get money back on the hotel.
"This farce is going to cost us around £1,700. We only touched down at 10am Thursday. I didn’t want to be locked up again like a sardine in a can when I got home.”
Nurse Elizabeth, 59, added: “I’d have been looking at two weeks unpaid leave if we hadn’t cut our holiday short.
“I’m going back more stressed than when I left. Most of our time here has been spent on trying to figure how to get back home again.”
Flooring company boss Trevor Elliott, 64, had to spend more than £500 on new easyJet flights to Stansted after cutting short his holiday with wife Jacqui, 63, by three days
He said: “Ten days of quarantine would have a major problem because of work.”
EasyJet said it was working with stranded Brits to help them get back to the UK, emphasising that it was providing over a thousand extra seats from Portugal to the UK and that it's ticket prices are demand-led.
A spokesman said: "As with all airlines our pricing is demand-led, which means that our fares start low and increase the closer it is to the date of departure and as more seats on the aircraft are booked.
"These higher fares are for flights closer to departure where many seats are already booked. To be clear we absolutely do not artificially increase fares."
The spokesman added that customers can transfer to an earlier flight home with no fee and for free if there is no price difference compared to their original booking.
Jacqui, a Slimming World consultant from Stanstead Abbotts, Herts, added: “Another holidaymaker at our resort arrived last Thursday and, when the news was announced, he said he was going home the same day.”
Harley Heaton-Curtis, 27, from Eastbourne, East Sussex was on his way home after the green list axe ended his bar job after a fortnight.
“I’ve just been made redundant because of the announcement,” he said. “The owner had taken us on banking on a good summer with the Brits –it’s rubbish. I don’t understand all these constant changes."
Meanwhile Independent SAGE scientists warn the Delta variant found in India is so spreading so fast the PM must close the borders now to protect people here and overseas – spelling chaos for Euros matches.
“Otherwise it gives a free pass for import and export of the virus,” said Prof Stephen Reicher of St Andrews.
Prof Christina Pagel, of University College London, added: “We have a responsibility not to spread this dangerous variant to other countries.” The tournament kicks off on Friday, with Scotland v Czech Republic at Hampden Park.
A week later the Scots travel to Wembley to face England.
In addition Amsterdam, Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Munich, Rome, Seville and St Petersburg will host games. Azerbaijan, Italy, Germany and Russia are all on the amber list, like Portugal.
Some stadiums including Wembley will be just 25 per cent full. England will play all their matches – except the quarter final if they get that far – at Wembley. Indy SAGE also wants the end of lockdown on June 21 delayed till August when three-quarters of the population will have had two jabs.
And yesterday NHS England urged over-50s to get double-dosed, fast.
Head of the NHS vax programme Dr Emily Lawson said: “If you are contacted to bring forward your second dose I urge you to do this.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock added: “It’s vital everyone has their second as soon as they’re eligible.”
Cases of Delta variant have been doubling each week since April.
It has caused a 39 per cent increase in cases in England and 51 per cent in Scotland. Wales is expected to catch up within weeks.
There are fears it will cause more hospitalisations as it is far more transmissible than the Kent type and maybe more vaccine resistant, meaning boosters could be needed.
Prof Pagel said: “The most vulnerable had their second jab months ago and resistance will be waning.”
