Anne Robinson and her 13-year-old son Jack stood helpless at Rome’s airport in June, watching their flight home disappear. They had been stuck in a 90-minute queue for the EU’s new digital border control system – and the delay cost them £250 for a replacement flight two days later. No travel insurance would cover it.
The Entry/Exit System, or EES, now requires UK travellers to register fingerprints and a photo when their passport is scanned. The extra time, compounded by technical glitches, has triggered long delays at some airports. Some holidaymakers have missed their flights entirely and had to pay for another ticket.
“New EU border checks caused delays, making a mother and son miss their flight and pay £250.”
But there are steps you can take to avoid the same fate. The UK boss of budget airline Wizz Air told the BBC that British holidaymakers should arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home departs. Jet2 and Ryanair have echoed that advice, depending on the airport.
At the Port of Dover, technology issues have prevented the new system from being used. It advises passengers to arrive no more than two hours before their ferry departure, warning that arriving too early could cause queues to build up. Eurostar, meanwhile, says to arrive at the station at the recommended time stated on your ticket, as it already accounts for EES steps.
The Civil Aviation Authority urges passengers to check directly with their airline before heading to the airport. Most airlines have an app that sends alerts about waiting times and changes; downloading it in advance and ensuring emails don’t go to junk folders is critical.
If you do miss your flight due to EES queues, airlines are under no obligation to put you on another flight without an extra charge. And travel insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of new flights, hotels or other losses, according to the Association of British Insurers. No policies explicitly cover EES delays, because it is an expected procedure.
Anne Robinson learned that the hard way. With summer queues expected to worsen, building in extra time and staying alert to alerts might be the only thing between you and your flight.