EU travel chaos 'warning sign that cannot be ignored' as passengers miss flights

Travel firms are calling on EU border authorities to make entry rules more flexible after more than 100 Manchester-bound easyJet passengers were left stranded in Italy after missing their flight.

On Sunday, a total of 122 passengers were reportedly unable to board the flight from Milan Linate to Manchester because of delays at passport desks caused by the ramp-up of the EU's Entry Exit System (EES). The 11am departure was held for 59 minutes before departing with the majority of seats empty.

Under the EES, people from third-party countries such as the UK having their fingerprints registered and photographs taken to enter the Schengen Area, which consists of 29 European countries, mainly in the EU. For most UK travellers, the process is done at foreign airports.

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In theory EES checks can be reduced and even deactivated where there is the threat of long queues at passport controls. But that does not seem to be happening universally, with reports of passengers also missing flights in Faro, Pisa and Venice last weekend because of EES delays. Representative body Airports Council International recently revealed that EES was causing delays of up to three hours, with airports in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy among the worst affected.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, told 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."

Among those affected was easyJet passenger Kiera, 17, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, who said she and her boyfriend touched down at Milan Linate airport at 7.30am on Sunday. She told the BBC: "We got to Border Control and it was a massive queue of people. I wasn't feeling great anyway because I think I'd got food poisoning.

"At about 10.50am they brought some water over for people, and when we got to the front of the queue someone asked us if we were going to Manchester, and told us our flight had just gone."

Vicky Chapman, 26, from Wirral, Merseyside, had been booked on the flight alongside her family, including her five-year-old son. She told the Liverpool Echo they had arrived at the airport "with more than enough time" but were "refused entry through passport control".

She went on to say: "We were then told that we are a 'no show' on our flight because we did not get to the gate on time, even though passport control had issues and they would not let us through. We were passed from pillar to post for three hours and no-one helped us.

"It was so hot in the airport, people were vomiting, people were almost passing out. We're being told that Tuesday is the earliest we can get back, and that we have to fly to Gatwick. We've had to pay out of pocket for an Airbnb."

An easyJet spokesman said: "Due to delays in EES processing by border authorities, some passengers departing from Milan Linate on Sunday experienced very long waiting times at passport control. We held flight EJU5420 from Milan to Manchester for nearly an hour to give passengers extra time but it had to then depart due to crew reaching their safety regulated operating hours.

"Customers who missed the flight have been offered a free flight transfer. 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. While this is outside of our control, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused."