Anne Robinson and her 13-year-old son Jack were stuck in a 90-minute queue at Rome airport last month. They missed their flight home and had to pay £250 for new tickets. The cause? The EU's new digital border control system, the Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires UK travellers to register fingerprints and a photo when scanning their passport. Technical glitches and the extra time needed have led to long delays at some airports, catching holidaymakers off guard.
Experts say building in plenty of time is essential. 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. Other airlines such as Jet2 and Ryanair have given 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; 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.
“UK travellers face airport queues from EU's new entry-exit system, with some missing flights and paying £250 for new tickets.”
Staying informed is the second key step. Airlines and travel providers send messages about current waiting times and any changes. 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, and passengers should also ensure they are signed up for texts and that emails do not go into junk folders. But beware of scams – fraudsters may try to exploit the situation.
Even with these precautions, missing a flight can be costly. If queues cause a passenger to miss their flight, airlines are under no obligation to put them 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 says. Anne Robinson’s experience – a 90-minute queue and a £250 bill – is a stark reminder of what can go wrong when the new system snarls up.