Flight Delays at Milan Bergamo Airport Linked to New Border System
Ryanair has confirmed that passengers scheduled to fly from Milan Bergamo to Manchester last week were unable to board due to issues at passport control.
The delays have been attributed to the implementation of the European digital border control system, known as the Entry-Exit System (EES), which has caused extended processing times at airports across Europe.
"Should these passengers have presented at the boarding gate desk before it closed, they would have boarded this flight,"Ryanair stated.
Earlier in April, EasyJet experienced a similar situation at Milan Linate Airport, where passengers bound for Manchester were also left behind due to border control delays.
The EES mandates that non-EU citizens, including British nationals, provide biometric data such as facial scans and fingerprints. This information is then verified each time individuals cross a Schengen Area border.
The system has been gradually introduced since October and was scheduled to be fully operational by 10 April. However, its rollout has been uneven, with some European regions experiencing more difficulties than others.
Ryanair commented,
"Due to passport control delays at Milan Bergamo Airport on 16 April, a number of passengers missed this flight from Milan to Manchester."
One passenger reported that approximately 30 individuals were stranded, although Ryanair did not disclose the exact number affected.
Requests for comment have been sent to Milan Bergamo Airport.
It is important to note that the EES is managed by the border control authorities of each country rather than by airports or airlines.
Passenger Experience Described as 'Complete Chaos'
Adam Hassanjee, an 18-year-old from Bolton, was among those left stranded in Italy.
"We were waiting for an hour and a half and weren't moving,"he told the BBC.
"Then we see the plane leave and got told we have to go and book our own flight back."
He described the passport control queue as containing passengers from roughly four flights.
"People were pushing past us that were on later flights than us. Some were let through. It was complete chaos. No organisation and staff had no care,"he said.
Due to the lack of available flights on the same day, Hassanjee had to arrange travel from Bergamo to Malta, followed by a connecting flight to Leeds.
European Commission Responds to Concerns
A spokesperson for the European Commission told the BBC that the EES system is "working very well." They noted that in the vast majority of EU member states, there have been "no issues."
However, the Commission acknowledged that "a few member states where technical issues have been detected – as can be expected in the first days of full operation of any major new system."
The Commission emphasized that the system's objective is to enhance border security and protect EU citizens.
Since its introduction in October, the EES has recorded over 56 million border crossings and denied entry to 28,500 individuals, including 700 identified as security threats.
