Anne Robinson and her 13-year-old son Jack were stuck in a 90-minute queue at Rome airport in June. They missed their flight home and had to pay £250 for another ticket.
The new EU border control system that caused that delay – the Entry/Exit System, or EES – is expected to create more queues this summer, as UK travellers must now register fingerprints and a photo when scanning their passport. Technical glitches have added to the delays, and some airlines are warning passengers to arrive much earlier than usual.
“Holidaymakers missing flights due to new EU fingerprint checks face paying for new tickets, as insurers refuse cover.”
“British holidaymakers should arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home departs,” the UK boss of budget airline Wizz Air told the BBC. Ryanair and Jet2 have issued similar advice, depending on the airport. Eurostar, however, advises passengers to arrive at the station at the recommended time stated on their ticket, as it already takes EES steps into account.
At the Port of Dover, technology issues have prevented the new system from being used. The port is advising passengers to arrive no more than two hours before their ferry departure – and warned that arriving too early could cause queues to build up.
The key, travel industry figures say, is to check arrival time advice with your airline, ferry or rail company in advance, and build in travel time from home. Airlines and providers will send messages about current waiting times and any changes, so it is important to be signed up to receive them.
“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,” the Civil Aviation Authority said.
Most airlines have an app you can download to receive alerts, and it is also worth checking that texts and emails do not go into junk folders. But stay aware of scams, as fraudsters may try to exploit the situation.
If you do miss your flight because of EES queues, airlines are not obliged to put you on another flight without an extra charge. And travel insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of new flights, hotels or any other losses incurred as a result of delays caused by EES queues, the Association of British Insurers said.