Spanish airports move flights and take extra measures to ease chaos for Brits

Spanish airports are said to introduce measures to ease border control disruption for Brits(Image: Europa Press via Getty Images)

Spanish airports are taking extra measures to ease border control chaos for Brits, following the rollout of the new digital system.

Since the European Union's (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully implemented across airports on April 10, 2026, there have been severe travel disruptions as Brits pass through the new digital border system. Holidaymakers have reported substantial queues, some lasting up to four hours, while hundreds have missed flights due to major delays.

The turmoil from the EES, which requires all Brits travelling to the Schengen area to "create a digital record" and register their biometric details, has been particularly chaotic during peak travel periods. During the Easter half-term, Spanish airports, including Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga and Palma, recognised that the surge in holidaymakers led to their checkpoints exceeding capacity, even though the system was working correctly.

In a bid to ease pressure on Brits using the new digital border system, particularly during the May half-term and summer holidays, Spanish airports will implement some changes. The Spanish airport authority AENA has "instructed staff to do what they can to ease the process and reduce waiting times", according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.

The local news outlet said this could see Spanish airports divert families with young children and passengers with reduced mobility to the border control point, which has the former passport-stamping process, when the wait time for the new digital system exceeds 25 minutes. In addition, they could also stagger flight arrivals by coordinating with AENA's ground team.

These additional actions, which have been described as "adjustments, not a suspension", could help relieve disruption to Brits travelling into Spanish hotspots. Although biometric details are still required for holidaymakers on their first arrival into the Schengen area.

Elsewhere, Greece has chosen to abandon the EU requirement for Brits to provide fingerprints and facial scans at airport border controls, following concerns about the substantial travel disruption they were causing. A statement from the Greek Embassy reads: "Update for British passport holders travelling to Greece. In the framework of the implementation of the Entry/Exit System, as of 10 April 2026, British passport holders are exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points."

There was no indication of how long the exemption would remain in place, but shortly afterwards, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel guidance for Greece.

In an update on Monday, 20 April, the FCDO stated: "Greek authorities have indicated that they will not collect biometric data (fingerprints and photos) for UK travellers as part of EES. Follow the advice of authorities on the ground. If you are a resident in Greece, make sure to show your residence documentation at passport control to ensure you are not registered in EES."

The EES was fully implemented across European airports on April 10, 2026, and requires all Brits travelling to the Schengen area to "create a digital record" and register their biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photograph. It's needed for their first arrival at the airport border in the Schengen area, and after the initial registration, the EES remains valid for three years.

Countries in the Schengen area include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.