Will you be changing your holiday plans due to the new EES changes?
UK travellers now face new data checks at European airports as the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully implemented across 29 countries in the Schengen area, including Spain, Italy and Greece.
The new system means UK holidaymakers now have to “create a digital record” when they first travel to the Schengen area. This will require travellers to provide additional information upon arrival at the border, replacing the previous system of passport stamping.
However, the introduction of the system has led to significant travel disruptions, including hundreds of people missing flights after being stuck in queues at an airport in Milan at the weekend.
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One mum from Oldham found herself unable to get back home for her children and work after being stuck in a queue at the airport for four hours, only to be told her flight back to Manchester had taken off without her.
She has since had to cover the extra expense of staying in Italy for longer as the next available flight back was five days after her original departure date.
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Representative body Airports Council International recently reported that EES was causing delays of up to three hours, with airports in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy among the worst affected.
And the chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, Julia Lo Bue-Said, has since warned of a “summer of chaos” if changes aren’t made.
In an interview on BBC Radio 4, the travel expert said: “The real issue is the volume of passengers that are trying to go through border control at one time. It’s clearly creating significant bottlenecks. The biggest frustration is these airports know what passengers are arriving, they know how many flights are coming in.
“There needs to be better coordination on arrival and on departure – because the same thing happens when you leave – to ensure we are not facing a summer of complete chaos.”
She added to the Press Association that what happened in Milan is “a warning sign that cannot be ignored”.
She said: “Even isolated incidents at Schengen borders are having serious knock-on effects, with passengers missing flights, facing long waits and navigating processes that are unclear and inconsistent. That is simply not good enough.”
She claimed some airports have the “physical infrastructure to handle demand but are simply not deploying the staff to match it”, which “demands explanation”.
She added: “We have consistently called for a pause in EES registration during peak travel periods and at times of high passenger volumes, to minimise disruption and protect the customer experience.”
Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs at travel trade organisation Abta, said: “While for many the travel experience remains smooth, we’re disappointed and frustrated to see some passengers being caught up in delays due to EES.
“Abta has been warning destinations and the (European) Commission for some time about the need for proactive steps to be taken to avoid delays, including the full use of contingency measures to stand down biometric checks at busier times, and adequate staffing especially at peak times.”
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