The designers of the Ċirkewwa terminal did a very good job in building a modern and attractive building. It however lacks one essential item: a proper queuing system!

The way the waiting area is designed has no way of indicating who got to Ċirkewwa first or last, creating one big crowd until boarding time.

The terminal personnel and tourist guides do try their best to keep a queuing system, however tourists who do not form part of a group, Maltese passengers (I wonder whether a word for queue exists in the Maltese language) and unlicensed (illegal) guides seem to believe that they have priority boarding and do everything within their power to skip the queue, from pushing other passengers to jumping over chairs.

This action is contagious and causes one big push towards the escalator and stairway.

This situation is especially true during the busiest crossings scheduled daily at 9am, 9.45am and 10.30am.

The solution is very simple. All we need is a turn-style with a counter, allowing a maximum of 500 passengers through (the amount I believe can board a ship), placed at the end of the entry ramp so that anyone in any place of the waiting area would be guaranteed a place on the ship irrespective of who boards first or last.

The devil’s advocate will then ask: So what do we do when we reach that number? Are we supposed to leave the other people waiting in the sun and rain? The answer is also simple. The passengers inside can be moved to the bridge on the first floor allowing more people in the waiting area.

Authorities please take note!