Anne Robinson and her 13-year-old son Jack stood helplessly in a 90-minute queue at Rome airport in June, watching the minutes tick by until their flight home departed without them. They missed the flight and had to pay £250 for new tickets — a cost that travel insurance is unlikely to cover, the Association of British Insurers warns.
The delay was caused by the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires UK travellers to register fingerprints and a photo when scanning their passport. The extra time, combined with technical glitches, has led to long queues at some airports this summer, with holidaymakers missing flights and being forced to buy another ticket at their own expense.
“Holidaymakers face delays and missed flights due to EU's new border checks, with one family paying £250 for replacement tickets.”
Airlines are urging passengers to build in plenty of time. The UK boss of budget carrier Wizz Air told the BBC that British holidaymakers should arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home departs. Ryanair and Jet2 have given similar advice, depending on the airport. However, Eurostar advises passengers to arrive at the station at the recommended time stated on their ticket, as it already accounts for EES steps.
At the Port of Dover, technology issues have prevented the new system from being used. The port advises passengers to arrive no more than two hours before their ferry departure, warning that arriving too early could cause queues to build up.
The Civil Aviation Authority says: “Airlines typically notify passengers of significant delays. We also advise passengers to always check directly with their airline before heading to the airport to allow enough time for security checks and reaching their departure gate.” Most airlines have an app that can be downloaded in advance to receive alerts; passengers should also check they are signed up for texts and that emails do not go into junk folders. The CAA warns of scams, as fraudsters may try to exploit the situation.
If a flight is missed because of EES queues, airlines are under no obligation to put passengers on another flight without an extra charge. Travel insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of new flights, hotels or other losses, the Association of British Insurers confirms.
Meanwhile, the EU is to delay a pre-authorised travel system after the border chaos, with US-style pre-checks unlikely to be rolled out this year, according to the Financial Times. The announcement suggests that the bloc is struggling to implement its new digital border controls smoothly, leaving travellers facing uncertainty as the summer peak continues.