New EU entry system hits Brits — But what are your rights?
Days into the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), British passengers are facing severe delays, resulting in missed flights, but with the Summer season around the corner, warnings that trying to pass the border may become more costly.
The new EES obliges non-European Union nationals, including Britons, who enter the Schengen free travel zone to register biometric information, including facial scans and fingerprints.
Once a traveller’s details are registered, the digital EES record is valid for 3 years.
However, the roll-out has not gone smoothly, with reports of long queues, staff shortages and tech failures at kiosks.
So much so that over 100 people missed their Easyjet flight to Manchester from Milan’s Linate airport on Sunday while stuck in a ‘nightmare’ passport control queue.
Easyjet said it held the flight for nearly an hour to give passengers extra time, but it had to depart afterwards because the crew had reached their safety-regulated operating hours.
The airline added that this was outside its control, but added that “customers who missed the flight have been offered a free flight transfer”.
Although some passengers told the press they were forced to pay over £1,000 for last-minute alternative flights to get home.
Waiting times reaching two to three hours
Despite new Brexit agreements enabling Brits to access fast-track e-gates, the EES is designed to improve border security within the EU and its neighbouring countries and to reduce illegal migration in the Schengen area.
With 29 European countries expected to comply with the EES, including popular Summer destinations such as Spain, Portugal, and France, delays are expected to worsen.
A spokesperson for Easyjet added: “We continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed while EES is implemented, to avoid these unacceptable border delays for our customers.”
But who is liable if you are stuck in a queue? The short answer is the passenger.
Airlines are responsible for the delays they cause, including mechanical issues, crew problems, and technical issues. Problems with the visa system, however, are outside their remit.
Some flights may wait or offer passengers on another flight, but this is a courtesy, not a right.
If someone has travel insurance, you are not guaranteed to be reimbursed for a missed flight, as some policies may require a “reasonable time” to get through security.
According to ACI Europe, which represents airports, and Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents European airlines, initial reports have shown passenger waiting times of two to three hours at border control during peak times.
Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe, and Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of A4E, added: “While we will continue to closely monitor developments in the coming days, it is already evident that greater flexibility is immediately needed.”
The best advice for travellers is to get to the airport in plenty of time, especially at busy airports such as Malaga and Porto, and not loiter around duty-free as long as they might have done before, and to queue for the kiosks in plenty of time.