Jet2 calls for new EES to be suspended following delays

The new EES, introduced earlier this month, is an IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay (up to 90 days).

Travellers in Europe now have to provide personal data, and have their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken as part of the system.

The EES has received significant backlash since its introduction.

A total of 122 passengers were reportedly unable to board the flight from Milan Linate to Manchester this month due to delays caused by the EU’s new EES.

The flight was held for 59 minutes before departing, with the majority of seats empty.

Ryanair threatens to axe flights to Malta due to new EES

Travellers flying in and out of Malta are also experiencing wait times of up to 40 minutes due to the new system, according to the Times of Malta .

As a result, David O’Brien, the CEO of Ryanair’s Malta subsidiary, Malta Air, is threatening to pull all flights from the holiday hotspot.

Mr O’Brien, speaking to the Times of Malta, said: “If we find ourselves with significant congestion and delay, we’d have to redirect capacity away from Malta to other destinations and that’s not something we’d like to do.”

Greece scraps EES for all British passport holders

Following the backlash from the new EES, Greece has delayed its introduction in an attempt to avoid any disruptions to tourism.

The Greek Embassy revealed earlier this month that as of April 10, all British passport holders are “exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points”.

Secretary General of the Greek National Tourist Organisation, Andreas Fiorentinos, said: “Tourism remains a top government priority and a key pillar of the Greek economy.

“Special thanks are due to Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis for his swift and effective intervention, which helped ensure efficient procedures for UK visitors.

“UK holidaymakers are vital to Greek tourism, and facilitating their travel to Greece remains a strategic priority for the country.”

Jet2 calls for EES to be suspended

Jet2 has praised Greek authorities for their decision and is now calling on other authorities to follow suit by suspending the new EES.

The budget airline said it is currently engaging with authorities across its wide network of destinations to get them to consider suspending EES checks until processes and systems are ready.

Jet2 CEO, Steve Heapy, said: “We applaud the Greek authorities for acting in the best interests of UK holidaymakers.

“Our customers work and save very hard for their holidays, and we will always do everything in our power to ensure they have the very best experience when they travel with us.

“We believe that pausing EES checks, until systems and processes are ready, will result in a much better experience for our customers and we are pleased to see that the Greek authorities agree.

“We expect a quick response in terms of demand for holidays to Greece as a result of this move, and we urge other countries to follow this common-sense approach and put holidaymakers first.”

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