Arrive Early Due to Border Control Delays
British holidaymakers are advised to arrive at European airports three hours before their return flights due to extended queues caused by new border control measures, according to Yvonne Moynihan, UK managing director of budget airline Wizz Air.
Moynihan informed the BBC that lengthy delays at passport control in some European airports have resulted in passengers missing return or connecting flights.
Airports have reported worsening queues under the Entry Exit System (EES), which mandates travellers to register their fingerprints upon entry.
However, a European Commission spokesperson stated that the EES is functioning well at "almost all border crossing points."
ACI Europe, a trade association representing airports, advised passengers to follow the arrival times recommended by their airlines.
The EES requires non-EU travellers to provide biometric data upon entering many European countries, which is then verified upon exit.
Since October, nearly 80 million entries and exits have been recorded, with 35,000 refusals of entry documented.
The system is intended to be fully operational at Schengen zone borders, including airports, from 10 April.
However, Greece has effectively suspended biometric checks for British citizens at its borders to avoid disruption during the summer season.
Prepare for Queues
Wizz Air's Moynihan described the impact of the new checks as "fragmented across Europe."
While some travellers have experienced "seamless travel," significant queues have been reported at common hotspots such as Spain, Portugal, and France.
During a half-term trip to Mallorca, Moynihan encountered no queues, noting the presence of additional staff and a substantial number of EES kiosks.
Nonetheless, the airline generally advises passengers to anticipate long waits.
"When you land in the destination airport, there might be queues, so you should bring a portable charger or water," Moynihan said.
Because EES data must be verified upon departure, she highlighted the risk of queues before flights back to the UK.
"Because there is another passport check...that's where we see that people have, again, experienced longer waiting times than anticipated," she explained.
Typically, passengers are advised to arrive two hours before their flight; however, under current circumstances, Wizz Air recommends arriving three hours early.
Moynihan also suggested that passengers with connecting flights allow several hours between flights to accommodate potential border delays.
She noted that border officials have been suspending EES checks proactively when queues become excessive.
The European Commission stated that EES is not the sole cause of delays and that biometric registration usually takes about one minute.
ACI Europe conducted a survey of 45 airports across 20 EU countries earlier this week, revealing that EES-related queues can reach up to three and a half hours.
The organisation reported an increasing number of airports experiencing excessive waiting times despite widespread partial suspensions of EES.
It anticipates the situation will worsen and become unmanageable as passenger volumes rise toward the summer peak.
ACI Europe called for resolution of technical issues such as instability of the central IT system and national interfaces, as well as improvements in border staffing levels.
The European Commission emphasised that member states are responsible for ensuring proper EES implementation and must provide sufficient border guards.
Portugal, which has reported very long waits, has announced the addition of 360 border officers at airports starting in July.
Moynihan acknowledged that improvements have been made following initial technical issues and glitches.
"But I think the higher number of people travelling over summer will test the system," she said, calling for more countries to suspend checks during the peak period.
The European Commission informed the BBC that until September it permits biometric registration suspensions "at specific border crossing points and for a limited amount of time in cases of exceptional circumstances that lead to excessive waiting times."
Book with Confidence
With summer holidays approaching, concerns have arisen that the situation in the Middle East could affect jet fuel supplies and lead to cancellations.
Like other airlines, Wizz Air has observed a trend of late bookings, resulting in "very affordable prices" to encourage demand.
Moynihan reassured passengers to "feel confident booking," echoing sentiments from other short-haul airline leaders such as EasyJet and Jet2.
She emphasized that Wizz Air's suppliers have adapted, no shortages are expected, and no schedule reductions are planned.
Although fares may increase if oil prices remain high, Moynihan noted that carriers can offset costs in other areas in the short term.
