Ryanair threatens to axe flights to EU country over airport chaos

Ryanair has warned that it may cancel flights(Image: NGCHIYUI via Getty Images)

Ryanair has issued a warning that it may cut flights to a sought-after European destination unless significant improvements are made to queue management.

David O'Brien, chief executive of Ryanair's Maltese arm Malta Air, has cautioned the government that the airline might divert its operations from Malta to alternative Mediterranean locations if border control delays at the airport persist.

"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," he told the Times of Malta.

The EU's new entry/exit system (EES) has been responsible for hold-ups at numerous busy airports, with queues in Malta lasting as long as 40 minutes.

Non-EU travellers are bearing the brunt of these complications. For Malta, this predominantly impacts visitors from the UK, which represents its biggest market.

"Europe is utterly unprepared in a general sense. We hope Malta is prepared. We haven't reached summer peak yet," Mr O'Brien added.

David Curmi, executive chairman of the national carrier KM Malta, also expressed his apprehension about the delays to the Times of Malta.

"We are unable to wait for passengers to board our aircraft. Passenger compensation regulations state that we have to compensate all passengers, including those who arrive late because of this system," he said.

Both airline executives have urged authorities to suspend the system temporarily to prevent disruption and missed departures during the peak summer months.

Yesterday, it emerged that Greece has halted EU fingerprint and facial recognition checks for British tourists. The country has chosen to abandon the new biometric security procedures amid concerns about queue chaos sweeping across the continent. Queues have been hitting the country, with waiting times of four hours reported at numerous locations, including Greece.

Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, stressed that the decision would "ensure a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece" and would "significantly reduce waiting times" while alleviating congestion at airports.

On Sunday, 122 passengers were unable to board their flight from Milan Linate to Manchester due to hold-ups at passport control caused by the implementation of the EU's Entry Exit System (EES). The 11am service was delayed by 59 minutes before taking off with most seats vacant.

The EES requires travellers to provide biometric data, including fingerprint scans and photographs.

Additionally, they must respond to queries regarding their visit, such as accommodation arrangements, sufficient funds for their stay, and possession of a return ticket.

Registration is mandatory for all children, although those under 12 are not required to provide fingerprints. There is no charge for travellers using EES.

Prior to its introduction earlier this year, the Home Office warned travellers to anticipate "longer wait times at border control", while Advantage Travel Partnership recommended that visitors to southern Europe should "allocate four hours for navigating the new system".

The scheme aims to strengthen border security by curbing illegal migration and identifying those who exceed their permitted stay. Following initial registration, travellers will not need to repeat the process for another three years. Any border crossings during that timeframe will simply require verification of an individual's fingerprints and photograph, which is anticipated to be faster than the original registration.